Frost Amendments to Hurricane Preparedness Bill Pass House

The House of Representatives recently voted on the Weather Act Reauthorization Act, which funds the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) ability to research and predict weather, especially natural disasters such as hurricanes. Included in the package was the Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act introduced by Representative Maxwell Frost (D-FL), bipartisan legislation improving planning and alerts for certain demographics in the event of hurricanes.

Specifically, Rep. Frost's bill would improve "hurricane preparedness tools, alerts, and planning systems would address the needs of seniors, people with disabilities, non-English speakers, and rural and urban populations."

To this end, NOAA would examine how the disabled, seniors and non-English speakers receive hurricane alerts and can prepare themselves for it.

According to Rep. Frost and Cambridge data, approximately half of the victims of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 were over the age of 75, with an average of 69 years old for victims. Similarly, when Hurricane Florence struck the Carolinas and Virginia in 2018, most of its victims were aged 70 and older, according to Risk Frontiers, as were victims of 2022's Hurricane Ian here in Florida, according to Fox 10.

Thus, Frost said in his press release, "Whether you’re a senior, someone living with a disability, a non-English speaker, or a Floridian living in a rural community – our emergency communications systems need to be able to reach folks where they’re at – efficiently and effectively. I’m proud to say that my bipartisan Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act will do just that by focusing on how every single person in our communities is able to prepare themselves for the worst mother nature sends our way. My legislation and the Weather Act will help save lives."

The freshman Florida Congressman introduced the bill with longtime member and colleague Representative Daniel Webster (R-FL) in late October, a markedly bipartisan bill.

Rep. Webster said of the bill in October, "In the wake of natural disasters, seniors, people with disabilities, and those in rural areas are often most vulnerable. The Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act will help federal agencies evaluate how these harder to reach populations receive emergency notifications and identify shortcomings to improve preparedness and assure that assistance will swiftly reach those at the time of need."