Hurricane Hunter Among NOAA Employees Laid Off in DOGE Cuts
The Trump Administration’s slashing of the federal workforce has hit the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center. Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is laying off 1,300 employees of NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the weather forecasting agencies.
A Personal Loss for a Hurricane Hunter
Andy Hazelton is one of the DOGE victims. He isn’t the guy you see on television telling you where the hurricane’s going, he’s one of the NWS employees who work on making the forecast models as accurate as they can be. Now he’s gone. "It kinda hit me very heavily, I mean I think we all thought it was possible," Hazelton said.
Hazelton was at the National Hurricane Center, working on improving the GFS storm tracking model, when the email came in. He was fired after working more than eight years with NOAA, as a contract employee and recently as a federal staffer, still in his probationary period. "Yeah, that’s a good way to describe it, no personal authorization, just this form letter that doesn’t have anything to do with our individual performance, in my case, I just had a review that said I was exceeding expectations and doing a great job," Hazelton said.
A Passion, Not Just a Job
Kerri Englert is featured in a video on the NOAA website. She is, or was, a hurricane hunter, the crew member who gathers data during those daring flights into the eye of the storm, until she got the pink slip yesterday. "I think that I was initially in a state of shock, as well as perhaps a bit of denial, I think I still am to some extent," Englert said.
"I asked her if, considering she and her crewmates risk their lives for the American public, she now feels betrayed by the federal government. "Oh absolutely," Engler responded. "I do feel an anger and a frustration and to some extent, I will say a devastation simply because this isn’t just a job to me."
What Do Hurricane Hunters Do?
Hurricane hunters, like Englert, fly into the heart of tropical storms to gather data that helps forecasters predict the storms’ paths and intensities. This work is crucial for saving lives and property.
A Call to Action
Musk, speaking for the Trump Administration, says the layoffs are trimming fat, even though employee salaries make up only four percent of the federal budget. However, Hazelton believes that the employees who were laid off are the ones who should be retained. "Our work is to serve the American public regardless of who’s in office so I hope that gets recognized across the political spectrum," Hazelton said.
Conclusion
The layoffs have left Hazelton and Englert, and many others, wondering about the future of their work and their ability to continue serving the public. While there is hope that a federal judge’s ruling may overturn the layoffs, the process is ongoing, and the outcome is uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why are NOAA employees being laid off?
A: The Trump Administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is implementing cuts, citing the need to trim fat and reduce costs.
Q: What does a hurricane hunter do?
A: Hurricane hunters fly into the heart of tropical storms to gather data that helps forecasters predict the storms’ paths and intensities.
Q: How many NOAA employees are being laid off?
A: 1,300 employees of NOAA are being laid off as part of the DOGE cuts.
Q: What is the impact of these layoffs on the public?
A: The layoffs could have a significant impact on the public’s ability to access critical weather forecasting and warning services.
