Agencies continue to prepare for solar eclipse

Plans are continuing right on schedule for the solar eclipse passing over Thermopolis on August 21.

Emergency Management coordinator, Bill Gordon, has been working with various agencies, including the Wyoming Highway Patrol, local law enforcement and first responders on an interoperable communications system that will allow all the agencies to remain in constant contact throughout the week of the eclipse.

Gordon said their main base of operations will probably be in the firehall, however, that will also depend on the fire situation in the county at the time as we are prone to grass fires in August.

Firefighter James Coates has been working alongside Gordon on the communications as well as working with other agencies that will be involved.

Coates has met with the 12-14 agency heads and they are dividing the county into four quadrants, each with their own channel on the WyoLink system.

Rumors have been floating around that the WyoLink system is likely to fail during the eclipse, however, Gordon assured the group the state-run system will not become inoperable. It may become overloaded, but it will not fail. In addition, the former analog system the county used is still available, so communications are covered in all directions.

Griff Hodson reported Hot Springs County Memorial Hospital is prepared for the event and have eliminated any time off or vacation time during the eclipse week in order to be fully staffed.

He indicated the hospital would be working with the ambulance service as well to ensure they are fully staffed as well.

One of the issues of concern with so many visitors in the area for the eclipse is the possibility of a snake bite.

Hodson said they do have some anti-venin on hand, but it is very expensive, $40,000 per dose, so there is not more than approximately one dose at the hospital.

He said anti-venin doses are taken about six hours apart, and with doses available from Worland or Cody, there shouldn’t be an issue. Coordination with the other hospitals should be able to be worked out and there is a possibility of doing a “half way” point to pick up the dose rather than having to drive, say, an hour and a half to Cody and an hour and a half back, saving time.

Nate Messenger, fixed base operator at the county airport, also suggested there might be someone willing to volunteer to fly to pick up the anti-venin if needed.

Hodson said the hospital is also planning decontamination training for employees in the next couple of months.

Chamber of Commerce director, Meri Ann Rush, said there are still a few hotel rooms available.

Her office is getting calls from locals indicating they would have a spare room to rent out or a spot of land for campers and the Chamber is putting those availabilities on their website.