“February 5th is National Weatherperson's Day, commemorating the birth of John Jeffries in 1744. Jeffries, a Boston physician and one of America's first weather observers, began taking daily weather observations in Boston in 1774. He took the first balloon weather observation over London in 1784. He carried a thermometer, a barometer and a hygrometer to the height of 9,000 feet. This is a day to recognize the men and women who collectively provide Americans with the best weather, water, and climate forecasts and warning services of any nation.”

Note: Other sources list 1745 as Jeffries’ birth year.

Key Stats

From Topic / Emergency Management / Disasters: The U.S. Census Bureau produces timely local data that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness and recovery efforts.

About Emergency Management

Emergency Management Events (Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Pandemics, Tornadoes, Wildfires, Winter Storms)

Emergency Management Related Sites, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) NWS Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs)

Map: NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs)

Note: Click on the map above for the NOAA Weather Forecast Offices website.

Emergency Management Visualizations

OnTheMap for Emergency Management Infographic (February 2021)

2017 Topical Infographics: find Disaster Preparedness (July 2020)

Infographic: How Ready Are We? Natural Disaster or Emergency Preparedness (October 2018)

More Stats

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies, Longitudinal Employer-Household Dynamics (LEHD)

OnTheMap for Emergency Management

A public data tool that provides an intuitive web-based interface for accessing U.S. population and workforce statistics, in real time, for areas being affected by natural disasters. The tool allows users to retrieve reports containing detailed workforce, population, and housing characteristics for hurricanes, floods, wildfires, winter storms, and federal disaster declaration areas.

Note: The map above has the list of “Recent Events” turned off and “Legend & Map Controls” turned on. Click on the image for the full page, then click on any event for detailed characteristics and other statistics. The map above is from January 22, 2024.

Source: 2022 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates

Table B24124, Detailed Occupation for the Full-Time, Year-Round Civilian Employed Population 16 Years and Over, find Atmospheric and space scientists (estimate 12,266)

From the Community Resilience Estimates (CRE):

The CRE use American Community Survey (ACS) microdata and Population Estimates Program data to measure the capacity of individuals and households to absorb the external stresses of the impacts of a disaster. Read CRE FAQs here. For Community Resilience Estimates methodology information check out this link.