U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Hoover) and U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) have introduced companion laws named after Lulu Gribbin, the Mountain Brook teen who was attacked by a shark last summer.
The legislation would codify the ability for authorities to quickly deploy wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) to the public if a shark has attacked someone or if the conditions for a shark attack are present.
The day a shark attacked Gribbin, two other people nearby were attacked, including a woman who lost the lower half of her left arm. Gribbin was flown to the hospital but ultimately lost an arm and a leg.
“If there is a commonsense solution to keeping Americans safe and out of harm’s way, we should capitalize on it,” said Palmer. “Had an alert gone out on June 7, 2024, the dreadful shark attack on Lulu could have been prevented.”
Gribbin has since recovered and now exemplifies courage, strength and healing. She has continued to play sports and not let her injuries slow her down.
“Lulu’s tremendous strength, faith, and bravery throughout her healing journey has inspired many,” Palmer said. “By passing Lulu’s Law, we would be creating a practical solution to prevent future attacks from occurring and keeping beachgoers safe.”
The law would direct the Federal Communication Commission to allow wireless emergency shark attack alerts to be transmitted. Then, local authorities could deploy the warnings if necessary.
Britt, who introduced a similar bill last year, said Gribbin’s grace and grit have inspired the nation.
“Lulu’s Law would empower authorities to quickly and accurately put information in the hands of beachgoers to help keep them out of harm’s way,” she said. “This is a commonsense measure aimed at keeping families safe – a cause that I know people can rally around, just like her local community, our great state, and the entire nation have rallied around Lulu.”
“We are eternally grateful that Lulu survived the shark attack almost one year ago - she is truly a miracle,” said her parents, Ann Blair and Joe Gribbin. “Since the attack, she has adapted to her new lifestyle and has been an inspiration to so many.”
“We firmly believe this accident could have been prevented with a better alert system,” they continued in a statement. “We’re grateful to Senator Britt for continuing to advocate for Lulu’s Law, and we encourage Congress to pass it for families like ours who just want to keep our children safe.”
The Integrated Public Alert and Warning System is managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and sends out local alerts, including Amber and severe weather alerts.
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