[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 20 (Monday, May 19, 2003)]
[Pages 610-611]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7678--National Hurricane Awareness Week, 2003

May 15, 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

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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.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., May 19, 
2003]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on May 16, and it will be published in the Federal Register on 
May 20.