After a shark attack in Florida almost took the life of a young Mountain Brook girl, U.S. Senator Katie Britt introduced a bill to protect and rescue any American in similar danger much faster.
Britt named the bill ‘Lulu’s Law’ in honor of the attack victim, Lulu Gribbin. The law would classify shark attacks as events for which Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are transmitted.
WEAs are critical notifications sent to inform first responders and the public about imminent threats to safety or essential information. These alerts are transmitted via mobile networks and can reach individuals quickly, regardless of whether they are subscribed. The inclusion of shark attacks as a trigger for WEAs, as proposed in Lulu’s Law, would enable authorities to swiftly warn beachgoers about recent shark sightings or incidents.
“Having two teenagers myself, this hits close to home. I cannot imagine what this journey has been like for Lulu or for her parents,” said Britt.
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“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.”
Ann Blair and Joe Gribbin, Lulu’s parents said they’re deeply grateful to Sen. Britt for introducing the legislation and called on Congress to pass the measure “for families like ours who just want to keep our children safe.”
“We are eternally grateful that Lulu survived the shark attack on June 7. 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.
“Thank you Katie Britt and her team for the hard work behind the scenes to get this law ready. We encourage you to call your U.S. senator to support this and help get it passed.”
Governor Kay Ivey called Britt’s legislation a “common sense measure.”
I agree, @SenKatieBritt. This is a helpful, commonsense measure that every member of Congress can get behind. Let’s all be Lulu strong! https://t.co/vppvibnIlQ
— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) July 30, 2024
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten
