UPS Supplies Tracking Technology in Haiti

The Salvation Army is replacing handwritten paper index cards with barcode technology to ensure that more than 4,000 families efficiently receive food, shelter and medical supplies. UPS has donated the technology and has adapted it for disaster relief supply distribution.

The system is based on the company’s Trackpad technology, which customers use to track packages within campus environments as the packages move from the loading dock to distributed offices for delivery.

Salvation Army staff members will be able to confirm what goods each family receives by tracking the information that is embedded in a laminated card that bears unique barcodes that are tied to the number of family members, their location in the makeshift camp that has sprung up in an adjacent soccer field, and their needs.

This system helps to ensure that all families receive the right supplies at the right time, and may help reduce theft or fraud.

Technology provider Cardinal Tracking provided the barcode cards and donated labor and equipment for the project. The system includes 4,000 laminated cards, two handheld scanners and a laptop.

Beyond the immediate need to optimize food distribution, the Salvation Army plans to use the barcode cards and tracking technology to help with the distribution of hygiene kits and tarps to prepare for the upcoming rainy season. The organization also is considering using the system at four other relief sites.

UPS, www.ups.com