The Fixing Gaps in Hurricane Preparedness Act requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to conduct research on how the public receives, understands, and responds to hurricane forecasts and warnings. The bill targets understanding how different groups—including elderly people, people with disabilities, non-English speakers, and rural communities—interpret hurricane information and make evacuation decisions, as well as how past hurricane experiences and trust in information sources affect public behavior. Within 180 days, NOAA must partner with an appropriate organization to launch a pilot study using surveys, focus groups, and interviews in hurricane-prone areas to assess preparedness levels, evacuation decisions, and access to warnings in different languages. The legislation also directs NOAA to identify data gaps, conduct economic analyses of improved warning systems, and use findings to enhance hurricane products and services, though no specific funding amounts or overall completion timelines are specified in the bill text.
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