Trump Broke FEMA: The Collapse of America’s Disaster Response

Meteorology Matters discusses the escalating challenges posed by extreme heat and potential mitigating strategies. We include the underestimated health burden beyond mortality, the significant economic and infrastructure strain, and the re-emergence of ancient, sustainable cooling technologies. We highlight a critical need for expanded public health interventions and a re-evaluation of current cooling paradigms, particularly in regions with limited access to conventional air conditioning.A. Underestimated and Broad Health Impacts of Extreme Heat:While fatalities due to extreme heat are well-documented, new research reveals a broader, less understood impact on morbidity (rates of disease and poor health). This is a critical shift in understanding the full scope of heat's consequences.Beyond Mortality: "While scientists have spent decades covering how extreme heat and cold lead to death, new research using data from California emergency departments shows that the heat may be making us sicker too." (Washington Post)Increased Emergency Department Visits: A study in Science Advances, tracking 11 years of data from California, found that "emergency room visits steadily increased as temperatures did — particularly among young children." (Washington Post)Diverse Illnesses: As temperatures rose, more people visited emergency rooms for "illnesses including those linked to poison, respiratory symptoms and nervous system problems." (Washington Post)Vulnerable Populations:Deaths increased in both cold and hot temperatures, "especially among older adults." (Washington Post)"Data also showed that children under 5 visited emergency rooms at a higher rate than any other age group." (Washington Post)Individuals with "preexisting conditions are more at risk in hot weather." (Washington Post)"Tip of the Iceberg": Carlos Gould, lead author of the Science Advances paper, states that "deaths are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to temperature’s effects on society." He adds, "Hot days can worsen our health far before they lead to deaths…And it can be a large range of things that we get sick from." (Washington Post)Indirect Effects and Complex Interactions: The mechanisms linking heat to certain illnesses (e.g., poison-related) may not be clear, suggesting "a very complex interaction between heat and people’s behavior that causes this rise." (Washington Post) Other factors like wildfires, often associated with hot days, can also influence health outcomes.B. Economic and Infrastructure Strain Due to Insufficient Cooling:Extreme heat poses a significant economic liability and strains existing infrastructure, particularly evident in regions with low air conditioning penetration.Economic Disparity in Cooling Access: There is a stark "AC gap between Europe and America." In Europe, "you wake up after a night of tossing and turning. You’re sticky, uncomfortable, and already dreading the commute. Jammed on a crowded train, you suffer through a heavy delay as your city’s transport infrastructure struggles in the face of extreme temperatures." In contrast, the U.S. generally offers cool, comfortable environments. (Fortune)Infrastructure Weaknesses: European transport infrastructure "struggles in the face of extreme temperatures," leading to delays and discomfort. (Fortune) The "grid isn’t up to the job" of supporting widespread AC use. (Fortune)Productivity Loss: While not explicitly detailed as an economic impact, the Washington Post article mentions that illnesses can "reduce our productivity.

13 Aug 26min

There has been an unusual and concerning surge in Vibrio vulnificus infections and deaths across the southeastern United States, especially in Florida. This bacterium, commonly known as "flesh-eating bacteria," thrives in warm, brackish seawater and can cause severe, rapidly progressing illness, including necrotizing fasciitis, and has a high fatality rate. While infections are generally rare, experts describe the current situation as "certainly not normal" and are investigating potential contributing factors, including the impacts of recent and forecasted hurricane seasons and environmental indicators like plankton and chlorophyll concentrations. Public health officials are emphasizing preventative measures and immediate medical attention for suspected infections, especially for high-risk people Current Toll (as of August 7-8, 2025):Florida: 16 cases and 5 deaths reported this year.A second death in Bay County was reported within the past three weeks, bringing the state total to five.Confirmed cases are spread across various counties including Bay, Escambia, St. Johns, Santa Rosa, Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Okaloosa, and Walton.Louisiana: 17 cases and 4 deaths reported this year, exceeding previous annual averages.North Carolina: 7 cases and 1 death reported this year so far.Mississippi: 3 cases reported this year so far.In total, at least 10 deaths have been attributed to Vibrio vulnificus across these states this year.Historical Context (Florida Cases & Deaths):2024: 82 cases, 19 deaths (exacerbated by Hurricane Helene).2023: 46 cases, 11 deaths.2022: 74 cases, 17 deaths (unusual increase due to Hurricane Ian).The current 16 cases and 5 deaths in Florida for 2025, while lower than recent full-year totals, are significant given it's "early on in the summer."Fatality Rate: Approximately 1 in 5 (20%) people infected with Vibrio vulnificus die, with bloodstream infections being fatal about 50% of the time.III. Main Themes and Important IdeasA. Nature of Vibrio vulnificus and Infection Routes:Vibrio vulnificus is a naturally occurring "halophilic" bacterium, meaning it requires salt, and thrives in warm, brackish seawater. Most infections occur between May and October when water temperatures are warmest.Primary infection routes:Exposure of open wounds: The bacteria can enter the body through cuts, scrapes, or broken skin exposed to warm salt or brackish water. The Florida Department of Health explicitly states, "Water and wounds do not mix. Do not enter the water if you have fresh cuts or scrapes."Consumption of contaminated seafood: Eating raw shellfish, particularly oysters, is a common source of infection.B. Severity of Illness and Symptoms:While severe illness is rare, Vibrio vulnificus can cause rapid destruction of tissue under the skin, known as necrotizing fasciitis, leading to death within days if untreated.Symptoms: Rash, high fever, chills, vomiting, nausea, cramping, abdominal pain, skin breakdown, and ulcers. For wound infections, visible signs can appear within hours, including redness, swelling, painful "bull's-eye" blisters.Systemic Infection (Sepsis): The bacterium can invade the bloodstream, causing a severe and life-threatening illness with symptoms like fever, chills, decreased blood pressure (septic shock), and blistering skin lesions.

12 Aug 17min

Recent reports highlight significant disruptions and policy shifts across several key federal agencies, including the National Weather Service (NWS), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), under the current Trump administration. These changes, characterized by deep federal cuts, staffing reductions, and attempts to alter climate science narratives, have raised serious concerns about public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of scientific information. While some efforts are underway to restore staffing, the long-term implications of these policies are a major concern.Severe Staffing Cuts and Under-resourcing in Critical Public Safety Agencies:National Weather Service (NWS): The NWS experienced "sweeping cuts" earlier this year, losing "more than 500 people" due to the Trump administration's efforts to reshape the federal workforce. This resulted in a total of "more than 550 people" fewer staff since the administration began.The Bay Area NWS office in Monterey, for instance, lost a meteorologist, an administrative support assistant, and a facilities technician. The Fremont-based Center Weather Service Unit in Oakland was left with a "single full-time meteorologist" after a forecaster retired, operating with two prior vacant positions.These cuts led to NWS offices being "no longer able to operate overnight" and some curtailing "daily launches of weather balloons that send back critical data to power forecasts and forecast models."Current employees are working "additional hours with additional responsibilities" to maintain 24/7 operations, facing "pretty daunting" stress, especially for those like the "lone wolf" meteorologist in the Bay Area.There is now a plan to hire "hundreds of new employees," with 450 "critical positions" identified, potentially filling up to 770 empty positions. The NWS has been granted direct hiring authority and meteorologists are now classified as "necessary for public safety," exempting them from future hiring freezes. However, the process of filling these roles typically "takes months."Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA has "lost thousands of staff to layoffs, retirements and resignations since Trump took office." This understaffing was acutely felt after the Texas floods in July 2025.Most calls to the federal aid hotline in the week after the Texas floods "went unanswered" because the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) "let funding lapse" for call center staffing agreements.Internal FEMA logs show that from July 6-10, FEMA answered only "just over 15,000 of the approximately 55,000 calls" from disaster survivors. On July 7th, only "10% of the more than 15,000 calls" were answered.The funding lapse was attributed to an "administrative bottleneck created by the Trump administration," where Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem "personally signs off on all funding requests for more than $100,000," a change from previous administrations.Systematic Undermining of Climate Science and Environmental Protections:Altering Climate Reports and Data: The Trump administration is actively seeking to "update" the US's premier climate crisis reports, known as National Climate Assessment (NCA) reports.

10 Aug 32min

As we head through August, it is typical for hurricane season to awaken in the Atlantic Ocean and the models are starting to hint at changes afoot. Elevated Tropical Activity: The Atlantic basin is entering a period of increased tropical activity, consistent with a "backloaded" hurricane season. Conditions are becoming more favorable for development, with warm ocean temperatures and a "La Niña light" influence.Primary Threat: A large, ill-defined tropical disturbance has just moved off the coast of Africa and is the main system of concern. It has a high probability of developing into at least a tropical storm, and there's a "good chance we’ll see Hurricane Erin out of this."Uncertain Track: The long-term track of the African disturbance is highly uncertain beyond next weekend. While many forecast models show it turning north offshore of the East Coast, some scenarios suggest a westward track potentially impacting the northeastern Caribbean or even the U.S. coast. It is too early to focus on any one location for impacts.Beware of Social Media Hype: Long-range (10-15 day) model forecasts, particularly the GFS model which "loves to spin up a storm... and bring it straight for Florida or straight for the United States," are unreliable and should be disregarded. "Online posts showing an extreme storm impacting some part of the coast are only there to get clicks."Other Systems:Tropical Storm Dexter: Has become a non-tropical system and is moving away from the U.S., posing no threat to land.Invest 96L (Central Atlantic): Odds of development have been lowered to "low range" and it is expected to turn out to sea, posing no threat to land.System offshore Carolinas: Absorbed by a cold front, posing no threat.Preparedness: Now is the time for coastal residents to review hurricane preparations.1. Current Atlantic Tropical OverviewThe Atlantic hurricane season is showing signs of increased activity as anticipated, moving towards a "backloaded" season where more significant development is expected later in August and into September. Bryan Norcross of Fox Weather notes, "The Atlantic basin really across the board is becoming more favorable for development."Colorado State University (CSU) and NOAA Outlooks: Both CSU and NOAA have released updated forecasts that indicate an above-normal season.CSU predicts "16 named storms. Eight of them become hurricanes and three Category Three and above."NOAA's similar forecast ranges from "13 to 19 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes, and 3 to 5 being Hurricanes of Category Three and above."The reasoning for these forecasts remains consistent: warmer-than-normal Atlantic water temperatures ("a slight plus") and a "La Niña Light" condition ("more conducive for storm development") are balanced by "upper level winds over the Caribbean have been very hostile" ("a double minus"). This balance leads to a forecast "slightly above normal."

9 Aug 36min

13% of Floridian Deaths can be attributed to hurricanes and tropical storms? Recent research from both South Korea and the United States reveals a significant and largely underestimated public health burden associated with tropical cyclones (hurricanes/typhoons). Beyond the immediate, direct deaths typically reported, these studies demonstrate a substantial "excess mortality" that can persist for weeks, months, and even years after a storm. This hidden death toll disproportionately affects vulnerable populations, including the elderly, those with lower socioeconomic status, and racial/ethnic minorities. The findings highlight the critical need for expanded public health preparedness and policy measures that account for the long-term, indirect impacts of these increasingly intense natural disasters.Significant and Underestimated Excess Mortality:Beyond Direct Deaths: Official government statistics typically focus on immediate, direct deaths (e.g., drowning, trauma). However, studies show that the true mortality burden is far greater due to indirect causes."The true mortality burden related to cyclone exposure may exceed officially reported death tolls, which usually focus on direct injury-related deaths." (Han et al., Korea)"Official government statistics record only the number of individuals killed during these storms... Usually, these direct deaths, which average 24 per storm in official estimates, occur through drowning or some other type of trauma. But the new analysis... reveals a larger, hidden death toll in hurricanes’ aftermath." (Young & Hsiang, US - Stanford)Quantitative Estimates:South Korea: An average of 150 excess all-cause deaths were estimated for each tropical cyclone during the 2 weeks post-exposure between 2002 and 2023. Daily average increases were 0.084 in all-cause mortality and 0.075 in non-accidental mortality in cyclone-exposed regions.United States (Short-Term): For 179 tropical cyclones between 1988–2019, there were 3,112 excess deaths after hurricane-force winds and 15,590 excess deaths after gale to violent storm-force winds in counties with >95% probability of excess deaths. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was the deadliest, with 1,491 excess deaths.United States (Long-Term): A groundbreaking analysis of 501 tropical cyclones from 1930–2015 estimates that an average U.S. tropical cyclone indirectly causes 7,000 to 11,000 excess deaths, persisting for nearly 15 years after the storm. Total estimated deaths since 1930 range from 3.6 million to 5.2 million nationwide, vastly exceeding the official total of ~10,000 direct deaths."A big storm will hit, and there’s all these cascades of effects where cities are rebuilding or households are displaced or social networks are broken. These cascades have serious consequences for public health." (Solomon Hsiang, US - Stanford)"This burden is 300–480 times greater than government (NOAA) estimates of 24 deaths per storm on average (22 without Hurricane Katrina) and 11,937 total TC deaths during 1950–2015." (Young & Hsiang, US - Nature)

8 Aug 41min

Meteorologist in SpaceDeborah Martorell, a 54-year-old Puerto Rican meteorologist and journalist with over 30 years of experience, is set to become the "first meteorologist in the world (between men and women) to visit space." Her lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut, which began in childhood and was often "taken as a joke or saw me as this immature girl who wants to be an astronaut," is now becoming a reality.Key Details of Martorell's Mission:Launch Provider: Blue Origin, on its New Shepard suborbital vehicle.Mission Name: NS-34.Target Launch Date: Sunday, August 3rd, with a window opening at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT; 7:30 a.m. local Texas time).Launch Site: Blue Origin's West Texas spaceport, near Van Horn.Crew: Martorell will be part of a six-person crew for the NS-34 mission, which includes crypto billionaire Justin Sun, real estate investor Arvinder (Arvi) Singh Bahal, Turkish businessman and photographer Gökhan Erdem, Englishman Lionel Pitchford, and American entrepreneur James (J.D.) Russell. J.D. Russell is flying for the second time.Mission Duration: Each New Shepard mission lasts "10 to 12 minutes, from liftoff to the parachute-aided touchdown of the vehicle's capsule." Passengers will experience "a few minutes of weightlessness and get to see Earth against the blackness of space."Symbolism: The NS-34 mission patch features the "shape of Puerto Rico symbolizes Deborah Martorell’s home" and the "sun in the center symbolizes H.E. Justin Sun, Deborah Martorell’s meteorology background, and new adventures for the whole crew." Martorell views her journey as symbolic for Puerto Rico, stating, "This is a great responsibility and I never lose sight of the fact that I carry with me the dreams of thousands of Puerto Rican boys and girls who, like me, dream of becoming astronauts.”Scientific Contribution: Martorell will carry a scientific experiment and a "gravity indicator that will be designed by the students of the Technology Club of the Dr. Carlos González de Aguada High School." She also intends to involve non-profit organizations she has collaborated with throughout her career.Martorell's Background and Preparation:Education & Career: Martorell began her career as a journalist after studying communication and journalism at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus. She transitioned into meteorology after covering Hurricane Georges and Tropical Storm Jeanne in 1997, leading her to major in climate coverage at the University of Mississippi. She has since served as chief meteorologist and science reporter for TeleOnce and Uno Radio Group for over 30 years.Awards and Recognition: Her reporting on environmental and space topics has earned her "eight Emmy Awards and two Awards of Excellence in Science Reporting from the American Meteorological Society."Aerospace Training: Her aerospace training was conducted by the "PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Project of the International Institute of Astronautical Sciences," an international non-profit suborbital research program. She decided to take these classes as her daughters entered adulthood.

2 Aug 31min

Review of recent Trump Administration actions impacting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with a focus on deregulation, scientific research, and disaster preparedness.In July 2025, the Trump administration has taken significant steps to dismantle environmental regulations and reduce federal involvement in climate science and disaster response. Key actions include:Elimination of the EPA's Scientific Research Arm: The EPA is proceeding with firing hundreds of scientists and eliminating its Office of Research and Development (ORD), which provides independent research underpinning agency policies and regulations.Proposed Rescission of EPA's "Endangerment Finding": The EPA has proposed to revoke the 2009 "endangerment finding," which legally allows the agency to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. This move aims to eliminate a wide range of climate regulations on vehicles, power plants, and oil and gas emissions.Uncertainty and Cuts to FEMA: The administration is sending "shifting signals" regarding the future of FEMA, with calls to eliminate or remake the agency. FEMA has already suspended the $882 million Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, leading to lawsuits from states and concerns about their ability to manage increasing disaster costs.Proposed Closure of Key NOAA Climate Observatories: The proposed 2026 budget for NOAA would end climate research at the agency, specifically targeting the closure of the Mauna Loa Observatory and three other critical monitoring stations. These observatories are crucial for tracking greenhouse gas concentrations and providing long-term climate data.These actions are driven by a stated desire to reduce regulatory burdens on industries so they can profit while the people suffer, increase economic growth while the environment suffers, and a belief that federal agencies like the EPA and FEMA are inefficient, which is not true. Expect devastating impacts on public health, the environment, and the nation's ability to understand and respond to climate change and natural disasters.

31 Jul 49min

Pre-1890:Prior to 1890: Recordkeeping for temperatures in Tampa, Florida, begins.1890:1890: Temperature records for Tampa, Florida, officially start.1892:September 1892: Temperature records for Plant City, Florida, officially start.1895:Since 1895: Florida's average June temperature has been 79.9 degrees.Early 1900s:Since 1902: Records for temperatures at Page Field in Fort Myers begin.Since 1911: Records for temperatures in Sarasota begin.July 1914: Temperature records for St. Petersburg, Florida, officially start.1931:June 29, 1931: Monticello, Florida, records the hottest temperature ever in Florida at 109 degrees.2016:August 2016: EPA publishes "What Climate Change Means for Florida," highlighting that the Florida peninsula has warmed more than one degree (F) in the last century.2020:June 26, 2020: Tampa, Florida, last set its previous record high temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit.2023:July 2023: The Gulf of Mexico experiences record-breaking warm water temperatures, with a sensor in Manatee Bay recording 101.1 degrees on July 24, potentially breaking the global record for sea surface temperature.June 2024: Florida's average temperature was 82.6 degrees, ranking as the 3rd hottest June on record.2025:June 2025: Florida experiences its 12th hottest June on record, with an average temperature of 81.8 degrees. Tampa's average June temperature over the past 10 years (including June 2025) has been 83.7 degrees, compared to an average of 81.3 degrees since 1890.July 27, 2025, 3:30 p.m. EDT: Tampa, Florida, soars to 100 degrees, breaking the city’s all-time record high temperature since recordkeeping began in 1890. This also breaks the old record of 99 degrees F set on June 26, 2020. This is the first time in recorded history Tampa has hit 100 degrees. The observation was taken at the airport, where the National Weather Service Tampa office is located (Ruskin, Florida).July 27, 2025, 6:34 p.m. EDT (Updated 9:22 p.m. EDT): Forbes publishes "Tampa Hits 100 Degrees For The First Time In Recorded History."Friday (August 1, 2025): Heat relief for the Southeast is expected to arrive as a cold front slowly advances into the region, bringing cooler temperatures and an increased chance of rai

28 Jul 29min