The five former directors of the National Weather Service (NWS) over the past 37 years released an open letter Friday expressing their alarm at the Trump administration’s deep staff cuts to the service and the agency that houses it, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

“We know firsthand what it takes to make accurate forecasts happen and we stand united against the loss of staff and resources at NWS and are deeply concerned about NOAA as a whole,” the former NWS directors wrote. “Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life.”

The former NWS directors include three doctorate-level scientists, two retired Air Force brigadier generals and a retired Air Force colonel. They served as NWS directors under six presidents, three Democratic and three Republican. Their joint letter marks the first time all of them have come together to issue a public appeal.

President Donald Trump‘s administration and the quasi-governmental Department of Government Efficiency spearheaded by billionaire Elon Musk have eliminated hundreds of positions from NWS and NOAA by firing recently hired staff and offering buyouts to workers with longer tenure. The proposed budget released by the White House on Friday would reduce NOAA staff by nearly 30 percent, according to the former NWS directors.