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Very little could be done to prevent the loss of life in the areas struck by the tsunamis.
Oh, except for the folks that might have moved to higher ground if the affected countries' governments had issued the proper warnings rather than trying not to spoil the tourist's holidays.
Disaster relief occurs in stages. One of the more important, but frustrating facts of disaster relief is that you want to minimize the number of responders who become primary and secondary victims.
You can't just show up with a plane full of stuff. There has to be a place to land the plane, first off, and then a way to distribute the supplies to those in need ... that work was starting as soon as the first wave hit. But it takes time to implement.
I do recall reading one article that indicated that the US aid effectively started with the use of our surveillance planes and satellites to begin the damage assessment. That doesn't just happen. It requires orders, and those likely came from the top of the chain of command.
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