Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act

The Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to lead a focused program of social, behavioral, and economic research on how the public receives, interprets, and responds to hurricane forecasts and warnings. In coordination with the National Science Foundation (NSF), NOAA would conduct a comprehensive review of what is known, identify data gaps, and carry out studies to inform improvements to forecasts, warnings, and communication tools—especially for vulnerable populations. The bill also requires a pilot study within 180 days using mixed methods (surveys, focus groups, interviews) in hurricane-prone areas to assess preparedness, evacuation decisions, trust in information sources, language access, and other factors, with a publicly available methodology. Overall, the measure aims to make hurricane products and communications more effective and to quantify the value of improvements, including longer lead times for warnings.