ARKANSAS, USA — Many Arkansas cities can expect up to four minutes of total darkness for the highly anticipated Great American Solar Eclipse on April 8.
Since Arkansas hasn't been in the path of totality since 1918, state officials are predicting a large influx of tourists for the historic event.
With nearly a month away, the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) hosted Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders and state agency leaders to address how the solar eclipse will affect travel, safety, education, and more.
"Due to the rarity and potential impact of such an event, the state of Arkansas has been preparing extensively," ARDOT said.
The following agencies provided information at a joint press conference on March 4 at 10 a.m.:
- Governor’s Office
- Arkansas Department of Transportation
- Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism
- Arkansas Department of Public Safety
- Arkansas State Police
- Arkansas National Guard
- Arkansas Department of Emergency Management
- Arkansas Department of Human Services
- Arkansas Department of Health
- Arkansas Office of Preparedness and Emergency Response Systems
- Arkansas Department of Education
Highlights from the press conference:
ARDOT:
- ARDOT will schedule a "construction holiday" from April 5-9
- Plans to detour traffic onto parallel routes if needed
- Has small all-terrain vehicles capable of moving safely to handout supplies if needed
Parks, Heritage, Tourism
- 2024 solar eclipse has potential to be the largest tourism event in Arkansas history
- Russellville selected as top 10 spot to view the eclipse, with the Buffalo River as a premiere viewing spot
- 26 Arkansas State Parks are in totality, and there are plans for each park (traffic, communications, etc.)
- To alleviate traffic, they anticipate 65% of visitors leaving Tuesday with about 20% checking out on Wednesday
Emergency Management
- State emergency operations centers will be open
- there is a portal on the website to help visitors find resources, and is updated on a regular basis
Education
- Every Arkansas student will have the chance to participate in hands-on learning during the solar eclipse
- state has done over 20 professional developments on how to go over the event in the classroom
- Many libraries will have free safety glasses
- Partnering with Harvard University to use technology for blind students to experience the eclipse using musical tones
- Documentary being filmed
- 103 school districts closed day of the event
Human Services
- Will work to maintain remote work whenever possible
- 24/7 operation centers will have access to food and shelter assistance throughout the state
Health:
- State is working with all local ambulance and medical services
- Will be able to use trauma conference center to be able to get patients transported to a hospital quickly if needed
- Providing access to food permits, asking public to look at the rules for mass gatherings
- Urges importance of eye safety
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