In
the course of day to day operations Weather Bureau personnel and NOAA
ship operators often take actions or make decisions that save significant
numbers of people from serious injury or even death. They have also
helped protect significant amounts of personal and public property
from destruction or damage. Tornado warnings, hurricane warnings,
flood warnings, and severe winter weather warnings have been issued
from virtually every Weather Service Office in our land. Often these
warnings have been issued while the forecasters themselves have been
threatened by the severe weather. NOAA ships and ships of the old
Coast Survey and Bureau of Commercial Fisheries have rescued mariners
in distress, towed disabled vessels to safe havens, fought fires on
private vessels, and even helped douse the flames threatening whole
towns on at least three occasions. NOAA field crews have sent personnel
and equipment to assist in flood-ravaged areas.
