Be prepared for influx of visitors for eclipse

by Cindy Glsson

About 25 residents attended a second public meeting Monday night at the middle school regarding the upcoming solar eclipse.

The eclipse group has been working on plans for the last 18 months in preparation for the celestial event that will be visible in certain areas of the country on Monday, Aug. 21.

Estimates on the number of people expected to descend on Hot Springs County could be near 4,500, not including the “day trippers” who may come down from Cody, over from Worland or other nearby towns.

With the recent closing of Wind River Canyon, the question of what will happen if there is a major slide or a wreck in the canyon during the few days prior to the eclipse becomes even more prominent.

According to Emergency Management Coordinator Bill Gordon, the highway patrol has made the decision not to adjust speed limits or traffic laws during the timeframe of the event.

As Gordon pointed out, there is no real way to stop folks from going through the canyon, but there will be extra patrol in the area and no vacations are being allowed for patrolmen or for county sheriff’s deputies.

A meeting with law enforcement agencies will be held this coming week to further coordinate between the agencies on issues that may arise in the canyon.

Another question folks had was regarding medical emergencies.

Trauma injuries will, of course, be life-flighted and the hospital and other medical services have a contingency plan already in place.

The one thing the eclipse group stressed to those in attendance was being prepared ahead of time for the influx of visitors.

It was suggested that locals make sure their vehicles are full of gas before the Thursday prior to the eclipse and that groceries and any medications are purchased well ahead of time.

Resources for visitors are also in the works such as a non-emergent hotline that will be set up a few days before the eclipse.

Gordon said the hotline itself will be installed, tested and operational the first part of August, but they will be looking for volunteers to man the lines during the event. If anyone would like to volunteer, please contact the Chamber of Commerce to get your name on the list. Training will be provided.

In addition to our own hotline, visitors will be able to use the Wyoming 2-1-1 service for public assistance.

Run out of Cheyenne, the 2-1-1 service covers the entire state, providing visitors with resources or phone numbers for things like the hospital, the HOPE Agency or counseling services.

No commercial things like restaurants, hotels or other businesses are included in the 2-1-1 service.

Mike Phillips with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) said his agency is looking at the serious possibility of wild fires during the weeks leading up to and after the eclipse.

They are already planning to have crews on the ground in BLM areas for safety and educational purposes to try to stave off any potential wild fire problems.

The eclipse planning committee will continue to have meetings on the second Wednesday of each month leading up to the eclipse, coordinating and finalizing all the plans possible to ensure not only visitors, but locals as well will be able to enjoy the historical event in a safe and easy manner.