environmental and human health. One upward trend is indisputable: At NOAA, requests for climate data have skyrocketed, and those data are increasingly helping stakeholders cope with extreme events. Last year, for example, firefighters in Texas used long-term climate information to prepare for the spring/summer 2011 wildfire season. Emergency managers along the Mississippi, Missouri and Red River basins used NOAA climate data to help lessen flooding, months before it began. Coastal managers are using sea-level-rise data to protect crucial infrastructure. Businesses and governments depend on climate information to make smart investments. Electric utilities count on climate data to anticipate peak power requirements and distribute power where it is needed. These are the kinds of practical actions that inspire me in my job as we work to make the best science available to understand and reduce the impact of extreme events on families, communities and businesses. These and other measures are essential to reducing the effects of extreme weather events and forging a safer future. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jane Lubchenco.