Getting fuel in the event of an emergency is often riddled with complex logistical and operational challenges that can paralyze recovery efforts. When hurricanes, wildfires, or major storms strike, infrastructure damage disrupts the entire fuel supply chain—from refineries and pipelines to terminals and retail stations. When infrastructure manages to make it through unscathed, power outages often prevent fuel from being pumped, even when supply is available, and flooded or blocked roads delay tanker deliveries. And to make matters more difficult, emergency responders, utility crews, and essential service providers are all competing for the same limited fuel resources at the same time, driving up demand just as supply becomes scarce. The result is a fragile system where even short-term disruptions can have long-lasting ripple effects on transportation, relief operations, and community recovery.
Since Booster began ten years ago, we have been committed to supporting our service communities – and the nation – in the moments that it matters most. We want to be as reliable as other services you depend on, always there when you need us. At the beginning, that meant reliable fueling. Now, it means reliable fueling and the technology to be a true partner in emergency response with data and logistics that allow for real-time pivoting and response. We have been proud to serve communities in need across the country in response to natural disasters and work directly with local leaders to get the right fueling resources to the right places in a timely manner.
Fueling Fire Responders in San Diego
In 2020, the Border 13 fire stretched nearly 600-acre near San Diego. Thanks to our work with CAL FIRE, Booster was able to provide on-site mobile fueling around the clock service, pumping approximately 1,000 gallons of clear diesel over 37 hours as local fire fighters battled the blaze. In those hours, we refueled nearly 50 individual vehicles ranging from CAL FIRE-owned emergency vehicles to contracted heavy equipment like bulldozers that were being used to build fire breaks. Our team was on the ground, working 10-12 hour shifts to make sure that the fire response had fresh and attentive mission support.
Helping Rebuild Communities Post-Hurricane
When Hurricane Laura made landfall on the Louisiana coast in late August 2020, the Lake Charles community was left without electricity, cell service, or working gas stations. Exactly the kind of problems that can stall emergency recovery and response. Booster was able to help, sending in a relief team and fuel to help get the community back on their feet. Our agile tankers were able to get to centralized communities sites and provide fueling for personal and first responder vehicles, as well as generators that local homes, hotels, and businesses desperately needed to reopen and serve their communities.
Fueling First Responders
When Hurricane Ida struck in 2019, Booster was able to deploy a mobile fueling unit from a neighboring state to help the Louisiana communities that were most hard hit, bounce back. The severe weather deeply damaged roads and infrastructure, making it nearly impossible to safely deliver or store perishable foods. Booster was able to partner with an international grocer to help aid food delivery workers responding to food distribution needs brought about by the hurricane. When the roads to traditional gas stations are blocked or fuel stations run out of gasoline, both of which can happen after natural disasters, Booster tries to make life a little easier for the folks who are trying to provide relief by making sure their vehicles are fueled and ready to go.
Stop, Strategize, and Fuel
It’s not quite as catchy as Stop, Drop, and Roll, but the practice of pausing, evaluating what an emergency response needs, and strategizing to get the right tankers and the right fuel types in place can save lives. Emergency response can become handicapped when real-time visibility and prioritization of needs are unclear. Without clear coordination between suppliers, carriers, and government agencies, it can be difficult to direct available fuel to where it’s needed most—such as hospitals, shelters, and emergency vehicles. Booster has spent a significant portion of decade of work learning what works, and now, we’ve turned that knowledge into a software platform that helps. For us? It means instant access to vital fueling information about our clients. That instant access can make or break an emergency response. Thanks to this platform, we can manage fuel inventory, truck assignments, driver routes, and more, meaning when we are called to help, we can turn on a dime and deliver.
In some emergency cases, regulatory or safety restrictions may further slow response times, as drivers and carriers navigate changing conditions and approval processes. Companies and municipalities that plan ahead—by establishing mobile fueling partnerships, on-site fuel storage, or pre-arranged emergency delivery contracts—are better positioned to mitigate these risks.
Booster is always ready to analyze the needs of a public community, to discuss disaster response with local leaders, and to help when the going seems like it can’t get any tougher. Ultimately, access to fuel after an emergency depends not only on supply but also on resilience planning, communication, and the ability to adapt quickly in the face of chaos. Learn more about how Booster can help your community prepare for emergencies with thoughtful, strategic fuel solutions by talking to a member of our team.