On Feb. 27, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) laid off 880 employees, many of whom were probationary staff with less than two years of service.
Those who were fired included meteorologists and members of the Hurricane Hunters crew, who are responsible for flying into storms to collect critical data. The layoffs account for about five percent of NOAA’s workforce, which previously totaled around 12,000 employees.
The reductions have prompted widespread criticism from lawmakers and scientists, who argue that these job cuts could compromise the nation’s ability to accurately forecast and effectively respond to extreme weather events, potentially placing communities at greater risk.
“They’re the ones providing guidance on how strong the winds are going to be in Miami-Dade County, Broward County, in the Keys,” said James Franklin, a former weather forecaster for the NOAA.
