U.S. Sen. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) introduced legislation on Tuesday that would codify shark attacks as events for which Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are issued, allowing law enforcement to inform beachgoers of active or potential shark attacks.
The bill is titled Lulu's Law, named after 15-year-old Lulu Gribbin from Mountain Brook. Gribbin endured near-fatal injuries when a shark attacked her and McCray Faust in June. Just 90 minutes later, another woman was also attacked by a shark a few miles away.
"Having two teenagers myself, this hits close to home," Britt said. "I cannot imagine what this journey has been like for Lulu or for her parents. When Lulu woke up, she said, 'I made it.' This brave Alabama girl is resilient—she is a true fighter, personifying both grace and grit. I'm incredibly proud of her faith, her courage, and her strength. 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. 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."
Lulu's Law would encourage authorized local, state, tribal and federal government authorities to quickly deploy WEAs via mobile phone alert messages to the public if a shark has attacked someone or if the conditions enhancing the possibility of a shark attack are present.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) manages the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), which sends out local alerts that provide authentic emergency information to the public. Other WEA alerts include warnings about extreme weather, amber alerts, wildfires and more.
Lulu's parents, Ann Blair and Joe Gribbin, thanked Britt for sponsoring the legislation, saying it could help prevent similar attacks in the future.
"We are eternally grateful that Lulu survived the shark attack on June 7," the parents said. "Lulu is a fighter. We will get through this, and she will adapt to her new lifestyle. However, we remain in disbelief this accident occurred. This was the second attack that day in close proximity, and it could have been prevented with a better alert system. That's why Lulu's Law is so important. We're grateful to Senator Britt for introducing this legislation, and we encourage Congress to pass it for families like ours who just want to keep our children safe."
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email craig.monger@1819news.com.
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