[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2003)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 27427-27428]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-12765]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 68, No. 97 / Tuesday, May 20, 2003 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 27427]]

                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.

[[Page 27428]]

                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

[FR Doc. 03-12765
Filed 5-19-03; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P