National Hurricane Awareness Week, 2003

Proclamation 7678 of May 15, 2003

National Hurricane Awareness Week, 2003

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Destructive winds, tornadoes, torrential rains, ocean
water storm surges, and flooding make hurricanes one of
nature's most extreme hazards. As hurricane season
approaches, Americans who live in hurricane-prone areas
must prepare to help ensure their safety and minimize
damage to their communities.

Hurricane season officially begins June 1 and continues
through November 30. According to the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an average of 10
tropical storms develop in the Atlantic Ocean,
Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico, and 6 become
hurricanes each year. In the past 2 years alone, 9
tropical storms and 1 hurricane hit our country,
causing 54 deaths and more than $6 billion in damages.
While we cannot stop these storms from occurring, we
can take steps to limit our vulnerability. Being aware
of the dangers of tropical storms and hurricanes and
knowing what to do to mitigate their devastating
effects are our best defenses.

Federal, State, and local agencies across America are
working diligently to prepare our communities for
natural disasters. Beginning this year, NOAA's
hurricane forecasts will look 5 days into the future,
rather than 3 days. This enhanced forecasting ability,
combined with efforts to improve the accuracy of
hurricane warnings, enables coastal residents and
emergency personnel to more effectively prepare for a
storm's arrival. In addition, Federal agencies such as
FEMA and organizations such as the American Red Cross
have teamed up with State and local agencies, rescue
and relief organizations, the private sector, and the
news media to distribute information to the public and
coordinate efforts before, during, and after a tropical
storm or hurricane has struck.

To help individuals prepare for an approaching tropical
storm or hurricane, FEMA recommends practical measures,
to make sure that homes and businesses are ready by
developing a plan for what to do; securing loose
objects and protecting property by covering glass with
plywood or shutters; and creating a disaster supply kit
with flashlights, a battery-powered radio, food that
does not need refrigeration, water, and first aid
supplies. The National Weather Service also encourages
acquiring a weather radio equipped with the Specific
Area Message Encoder feature that provides automatic
alerts when important weather information is issued for
an area. For more information on how to prepare for the
ravages of hazardous weather, you can go to the
National Weather Service website at www.nws.noaa.gov.

Millions of Americans are at risk of being personally
affected by a tropical storm or hurricane. More than
one in six Americans in the continental United States
lives along the Eastern Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico
coast, and millions of tourists visit these areas
annually. Because of the growing populations in coastal
areas, it is essential that Americans prepare for
hurricanes and other natural disasters. During National
Hurricane Awareness Week, we promote awareness of these
weather hazards, organize our efforts, and work to
improve our ability to endure and survive tropical
storms and hurricanes.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim May 18 through May 24, 2003,
as National Hurricane Awareness Week. I call upon
government agencies, private organizations, schools,
and news media in hurricane-prone areas to share
information about hurricane preparedness and response
in order to help prevent storm damage and save lives. I
also call upon Americans living in these coastal areas
of our Nation to use this opportunity to learn more
about how to protect themselves against the effects of
hurricanes and tropical storms.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand three, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

(Presidential Sig.)B