Staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency were caught off-guard and left bewildered when the disaster relief agency’s new acting head David Richardson told personnel that he was previously unaware that the United States has a hurricane season,

David Richardson’s comment to staff that he was unaware the United States had a hurricane season was meant in jest, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were left baffled on Monday after the head of the U.S. disaster agency said during a briefing that he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season,