I hope everyone who was in Fern’s path this weekend made it through safe and with minimal problems! I did my best to prepare My Guy for what was about to happen. Being a dog, the talking-it-through ahead of time approach didn’t really register. Here in NYC, our new Mayor declared that all schools would hold classes remotely on Monday. By contrast, my office sent out an email reassuring everyone that we could trudge in. Thanks, boss. For me, the tricky part of commuting in these conditions isn’t the snow, it’s the ice factor. I’m terrified of slipping and falling, especially on the stairs at my subway which is really an elevated line above ground. So it’s a lucky turn up that this storm had NO ICE, just freezing rain. (Note: read with sarcasm.) At least that’s what DHS instructed FEMA to say in their weather warnings. Here’s the scientific explanation for the change in terminology: they wanted to avoid memes like “watch out for ice.” Because that’s what’s really important in a major storm.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reportedly urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to avoid using the word “ice” in winter weather warnings amid the ongoing controversy surrounding federal ICE agents.

The informal directive was issued during a meeting at FEMA on Thursday, Jan. 22, according to two sources familiar with the matter, per CNN.

Homeland Security, which oversees both FEMA and ICE, is concerned that use of the word could cause confusion and even online mockery, per the outlet.

Homeland Security officials said that phrases like “watch out for ice” could be misunderstood or even turned into memes by the general public, which DHS said would undermine efforts to keep people safe from severe weather, the sources told CNN.

FEMA staff have instead been urged to use terms like “freezing rain” in their public messaging, the sources said.

“I think it’s a dangerous precedent to set. If we can’t use clear language to help prepare Americans, then people may be left vulnerable and could suffer,” one of the sources told CNN.

The guidance comes as two-thirds of the U.S. is preparing for severe winter weather, including significant ice accumulation.

FEMA posted a public warning about the severe weather on X the evening of Jan. 22 — and the word “ice” was not mentioned in the post.

“Heavy snow, freezing rain & cold temps are expected across many states this weekend, which could cause damage and widespread power outages,” they wrote.

A second post shared on the platform posted on Friday, Jan. 23, also made no mention of the word.

“A major winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow, freezing rain and dangerous cold across much of the U.S., creating risks for travel, power and safety,” FEMA wrote.

In a statement to PEOPLE, a FEMA spokesperson said that they will continue to use “accurate descriptors” in relation to public messaging.

“‘Reporting’ like this reads like a desperate ploy for clickbait rather than real journalism that actually gives Americans disaster preparedness information that could save lives,” the statement said. “FEMA will use correct and accurate descriptors of weather conditions to communicate clearly to the American people.”

[From People]

Putting social media optics before serving the public: the hallmark of the Trump administration. In addition to the fascism, racism, misogyny, cruelty, lying, cheating, and greed. Another signature of this regime is making an aggressive statement in response to legitimate questions about their moves. (Particularly galling coming from this FEMA, though, considering seven months ago their new director didn’t know that America has a hurricane season.) For what it’s worth, this directive from DHS was issued last Friday, before ICE agents murdered another US citizen in Minneapolis. But that doesn’t in any way excuse DHS, because, again, they’re putting their image before their work. FEMA should be completely insulated from political motivations, and scientific facts — like what ice is and identifying it clearly — should never be toyed with in emergency conditions (or any other, really). Am I surprised this administration would do this? Absolutely not. Do their attempts at deporting the word “ice” stop us from making memes anyway? Absolutely not! And if there’s one thing that we’ve become painfully aware of this January, it’s that ice is deadly.

Photos credit: William T. Wade Jr./Photography/Avalon, Shawn Dearn on Unsplash, Benjamin Svobodny on Pexels