The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an agency whose data can save lives during hurricane season, is being targeted for massive cuts by the new administration.

NOAA plays a critical role in weather forecasting, extreme weather warnings, and climate science, and the National Weather Service, a part of NOAA, is the only public forecasting agency protecting Americans against the threats of extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes.

I’m a Florida native who has ridden out many storms at home, and I used to be a lot less concerned about these threats - but last year, Hurricane Milton spawned tornadoes in Cocoa Beach that severely damaged a friend’s house and destroyed their car just a few doors away from us.

That traumatic local event and the devastating extreme weather seen nationally has made me face the fact that climate change is real, our community is at risk, and I want my government to be there for us.

We need Senator Scott, Senator Moody, and our local representatives to push back on cuts to NOAA and vigorously support legislation that addresses the root causes of climate change and supports climate resiliency. I’m grateful for city and county efforts to prepare for and respond to weather events, but we deserve leadership and funding on this at the national level.

Kimberly Demoret