Great article in Newsweek about how Emergency Management people are treating the upcoming eclipse:
AUTHORITIES ARE TREATING AUGUST'S SOLAR ECLIPSE, THE FIRST IN 99 YEARS, LIKE IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD
Port-a-potty shortages. Cellular blackout zones. Ambulances stuck in gridlock. These are the conditions emergency managers across the nation are expecting the week of August 21.
No, a major hurricane isn’t forecast. This isn’t preparation for a cyberattack after someone tipped the FBI. Beyoncé isn’t doing a national tour—but the cause is a star of another kind.
The upcoming solar eclipse—the first in 99 years to sweep across the continental United States—has so many fans that disaster-level preparations are being put in place because of the large number of travelers predicted to jockey for prime viewing spots.
A minor nit - this is not being treated like it's the end of the world. The eclipse is being treated as a fantastic opportunity for unique training - regular training uses simulated emergencies - this is a real perturbation of reality. A bit more:
Here’s why many folks are planning for a disaster: Oregon has a population of 4 million people, and the eclipse is expected to draw 1 million visitors to the state for a few days. In Missouri, preparations resemble that for a blizzard or “everything from St. Patrick’s Day parade to a World Series celebration,” says Chris Hernandez, city spokesman for Kansas City, Missouri, one of the larger metro areas in the path of the eclipse.
All of those visitors are expected to clog interstates, along with state and local roads, for days before and after the eclipse, much like the rush during emergency evacuations, says Brad Kieserman, vice president of disaster operations and logistics for the American Red Cross. “Some of these places are never going to see traffic like this,” he says. In some areas, “the population will be double or triple.”
Once visitors arrive, they’ll need bottles of water, lodging and restrooms. And, of course, solar glasses.
And of course:
Kieserman says the Red Cross will use ham radio to communicate when cellphone networks inevitably go down, but its staff and volunteers working on emergency response will have some access to top-priority emergency cell channels.
Should be fun - looking forward to reading the after-event reports.
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