AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It is an organization with a basic mission to comprehend and foretell changes in climate and weather, among a few other categories. The knowledge they glean from these weather and climate changes is shared with others, including the general public. It's the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. They are this country's authority when it comes to the environment. Part of its focus is to forecast the day's weather and to make people aware of the changing climate. NOAA was formed in 1970 but its heritage is rooted in 200 years of science. The first civilian scientific agency in our country was The Survey of the Coast, established in 1807 by President Thomas Jefferson. The mission was formed to increase maritime safety, support commerce and trade and ensure national defense. NOAA is comprised of six subagencies. They are the National Environmental Satellite Data, and Information Services, or NESDIS, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the National Ocean Service, the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, and, for those of us in the broadcast meteorology field, the National Weather Service. NESDIS' role is to provide timely access to global environmental data and information from satellites and other sources to promote and protect our nation's security, environment, economy, and quality of life. The National Marine Fisheries Service watches out for and protects our nation's fisheries. Recent statistical information shows said fisheries can generate billions of dollars in sales and create jobs in the marine fishing sector. The National Ocean Service is the agency supporting economies along all three coasts concerning the contribution the coast economies make to the United States economy. The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research predicts physical, chemical and biological processes in the Earth system. Their role is to come up with new technology that will help NOAA improve services. Did you know that NOAA maintains and operates 15 research and survey ships and ten environmental data-collecting aircraft? The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations is the NOAA agency managing these. This is the group that provides hurricane reconnaissance and research during the tropical storm season. So, it's not all about the actual weather and the actual climate for which NOAA has responsibilities. Still, what is it that the National Weather Service does beyond providing weather forecasts? The NWS is the governing agency that issues warnings during times of floods, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Their role during severe storms and heavy rain is to issue timely warnings with the goal of protecting property, supporting the economy, and most of all, protecting life. Its forecasts and warnings are not only for the benefit of the public but also business and industry thus supporting the economy. Local NWS offices are able to lend an on-site meteorologist to help with emergencies that are becoming all too common including hazardous material spills and wildfires. NOAA created Weather-Ready Nation. The program's goal is to make better this country's responses to weather extremes as they relate to things like water and extreme weather. Their hope with Weather-Ready Nation is to improve the pipeline of communication lines beginning with their weather service office to the broadcast media to the general public. There perhaps is no greater line of communication than this one when severe weather is ongoing. It's all about saving lives in homes, businesses, and schools. The work done by the National Weather Service has great value to this country. Data and other products are used by many organizations in both the private and public sectors. The NWS has determined that they are accurate around 90% of the time in a five-day forecast and 80% of the time in seven days. One more thing as we are still in the tropical storm season. NOAA's National Hurricane Center works in tandem with the National Weather Service to issue advisories, watches, and warnings during the season. These two agencies work together to issue storm surge watches and warnings for the Atlantic and Gulf coasts with the #1 goal of saving lives and property. For those who do believe that our climate is changing, NOAA monitors greenhouse gases and the oceans. They delve into how human-caused emissions mingle with the atmosphere. They are the organization trying to help people understand how the climate is changing and what changes need to be made. In other words, to try and help the citizens of the United States better understand the ramifications of what happens if nothing is done to improve our climate. The upside to what NOAA brings to the table cannot be stressed enough. It's a group of dedicated women and men whose job is to help the United States grow and prosper, and to help all of our citizens. It should be left alone to function as it has.