Amid the uncertainty following the mass layoffs and the possibility of budget cuts, the National Hurricanes Center (NHC, in English) of the United States claimed to be ready for Hurricanes seasonthat this year is anticipated, it will be “more active than normal.”
“We are completely operational and ready for the season here, at the Hurricane Center ”said the director of the NHC, Michael Brennanin a telephone interview with The new day. “We have all our staff, and the shifts are covered throughout the hurricane season. We will be here, always watching the tropics and broadcasting our forecasts, warnings and messages for all in our area of responsibility,” he added.
Without going into specific numbers, Brennan acknowledged that there are vacancies in the Oceanic and atmospheric national administration (NOAA, in English) – to which the NHC belongs – but said that “efforts are being made to relocate personnel and cover those criticisms, ensuring that forecasts, warnings and observations are elaborated and disseminated.”
The first wave of dismissals in the NOAA was given in Februarywhen hundreds of meteorologists and other employees during the probative period were ceased by order of the administration of Donald Trump. In addition, in March, the Federal Government asked the NOA to an additional cut of 1,000 employees. The situation in the NOAA has been similar to that of other federal agencies, in which employees say goodbye and then re -re -re -reached them and fire them.
Despite this reality, Brennan reiterated that the NHC will be able to fulfill its responsibilities during the most crucial period for the agency. To this expression, he joined Pablo SantosHead of the NHC Science and Technology Division, who declared: “We are ready.”
In the case of Puerto Rico, where the main source of information during the hurricane season is the National Meteorology Service In San Juan, the agency’s portal shows that there are five vacancies, 24 positions. According to Yale Climate Connectionsthis represents a 21% personnel shortage.
Called to preparation
For this cyclonic season, which started this Sunday and extends until November 30, the NOAA predicted the formation of between 13 and 19 storms with name (winds of 39 miles per hour –MPH– or more). Of these, it is expected that between six and 10 they will become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or more) and, between three to five they become intense hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or more) in the basin of the Atlantic Ocean.
Both NHC officials called for the preparation of citizenship and urged not to leave that effort for the last minute.
“Every year, and especially in hurricane -prone areas such as Puerto Rico, people must be prepared. The message for residents there is that they must stay ready throughout the hurricane season. The risk is present from June to November, so there really isn’t a moment of rest during that period. The population in Puerto Rico lives in an area where systems can develop very close and affect them very little in advance. Therefore, it is essential to have preparations and emergency plan ready in advance, ”said Brennan.
Among the recommendations to the population, he mentioned create a plan that includes identifying whether he lives in a place at risk of floods and communication strategies with friends and family, as well as mobilization and meeting points in case of an emergency.
“It is very important to develop, from now on, a plan on how you are going to reach a safe place. Also, you must make sure you have provisions for several days, such as non -perishable foods, water, batteries, ways of loading your portable devices, a battery and cash radio. In addition, you should create a communication plan with your friends and family, to know how they will be found or communicated after a storm, especially if there is no mobile phone Communication becomes difficult, ”he added.
Meanwhile, Santos – in charge of the division that deals with preparing the tools that the forecasts use – stressed that the NHC has implemented several new changes and products for this cyclonic season. This year, the NHC portal will contain a map of national scale – which will include Puerto Rico – and that will demonstrate the danger of the hangover on the coasts.
“Many times, hurricanes are hundreds of miles sea outside, but that does not mean that there is no danger to us. You can have a hurricane, for example, in Puerto Rico, moving 300 or 400 miles north of the island, but the action that is generating waves in the ocean eventually significantly increases the danger of hangover on the coasts And that is a danger to people who go to beaches, people who live on the coast can sometimes result in coastal floods. So this map is something that we are going to start this year to highlight this danger that people often discard, ”he said.