Cache Management

Cache management refers to the proper utilization of resources, especially goods that become scarce during a disaster. This may refer to the stockpiling of masks, ventilators, blood products, water, oxygen, and even people.

“Just-in-time” inventories are obtained from wholesaler to retailer to institution in a chain requiring all segments ("links") to function efficiently. A break in one area breaks the enire chain, crashing an entire system of emergency medical response. It is important to realize and understand this, and to respond appropriately.

The Strategic National Stockpile (SNS), with warehouses all across the country ready to deploy in 24 hours once activated, is an example of a federally managed cache. It reserves stockpiles of needed material for a disaster such as antibiotics and ventilators.

Los Angeles maintains shelter supplies and equipment in 104 locations throughout the county, in coordination with the Red Cross. The city has distributed shelter-specific equipment containers to eighty-four locations across the County of Los Angeles.  In addition, twenty caches of identical content are maintained at Public Works yards, Emergency Operations Centers, and Recreation and Parks sites. Read the Los Angeles Emergency Management Department's most recent report on the management of caches here. 

A map of the 84 shelter-specific caches: