For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
May 22, 2001
National Hurricane Awareness Week, 2001
By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
One of the most dramatic, damaging, and
potentially deadly weather events is a hurricane. Each year
on average, six hurricanes develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean
Sea, or Gulf of Mexico. Many of these remain over the ocean
with little or no impact on the continental United States.
Unfortunately, though, on average five hurricanes strike the United
States coastline every 3 years. These storms can cause
significant damage that can cost individuals, businesses, and
government billions of dollars. Worst of all, however, is the loss
that can never be recovered: human life.
Currently more than 48 million people live
along hurricane-prone coastlines in the United States. The
growing number of residents living in these areas, as well as the
millions of tourists who visit our Nation's beaches annually, has
increased the difficulties in evacuating people from areas that are
threatened by an impending hurricane. This problem is
further compounded by the fact that a large majority of people living
in these areas have never experienced the force of a major hurricane
and its devastating impact.
Increasingly,
many Americans have begun working to ensure that commonsense measures
are implemented to protect themselves and their property from natural
disasters including floods, tornadoes, and
earthquakes. Their foresight, hard work, and respect for the
awesome power of nature often yields great benefits for their
communities. They are to be commended for this preventive
work, and we should learn from their example as we plan for future
disasters.
All Americans must be more
vigilant about preparing for disasters in advance, rather than just
responding to them after they occur. Specific actions can be
taken in advance of a storm that will further protect property, help to
ensure that businesses are able to resume work quickly after a storm,
and ultimately save lives. In addition, the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) estimates that for every dollar
spent in damage prevention, two are saved in repairs.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's (NOAA) researchers and forecasters continue to improve
the accuracy of hurricane warnings that enable residents to evacuate
and emer-gency personnel to effectively respond well in advance of the
storm's arrival. In addition, FEMA and NOAA have focused
their resources toward encouraging community leaders to work with
Federal, State, and local agencies, as well as volunteer agencies,
schools, the private sector, and the news media to collectively
undertake activities that diminish the destruction of natural
disasters. For hurricane-prone areas, these measures can
include residents stockpiling emergency provisions, learning evacuation
routes, installing hurricane shutters, building residential safe rooms
and community shelters, adopting stronger building codes, and
retrofitting existing buildings. These measures have proved
effective, and I encourage citizens living in these areas to look for
ways that they can better prepare themselves and their communities to
reduce the potential devastating impact of these storms.
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 20 through May 26, 2001, as National Hurricane Awareness
Week. I call upon government agencies, private
organizations, schools, news media, and residents in hurricane-prone
areas to work towards the prevention of needless storm damage and to
join me in raising awareness of the hazards posed by hurricanes.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord two
thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America
the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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