Eclipse2017.org will be there to assist you in providing your
citizens safe viewing areas on eclipse day!
All public officials should be aware that on eclipse day,
there will be intense interest in viewing the total eclipse. Preparedness
seminars and notices provided to the public beforehand will go a long way
toward enhancing the experience for everyone. Eclipse2017.org recommends
that official viewing areas be designated in each community along the
path, to accept the influx of viewers and provide proper protection for
eclipse-seekers who choose your community for their viewing
experience! (The influx of visitors may also provide a lucrative
influx of capital to the communities who have properly prepared to receive
them!) |
There will be considerable interest in the eclipse as eclipse day approaches.
Individuals and businesses owning large land areas may feel compelled to offer these as suitable viewing sites; however,
they may be unprepared for the safety and liability considerations that will accompany their generous offers!
The safest place for the public to view
the eclipse will be in a regulated environment, managed and controlled by trained public officials whose first duty is to public safety!
The following considerations should be
observed:
1) Crowd and traffic control protocols must be maintained, and communicated in the local media well prior to eclipse day
2) It is recommended that the number of persons allowed to enter a
particular viewing location be limited, though as long as mobility within the
viewing area is limited, the number of viewing individuals should be able
to be large.
3) Eclipse viewing glasses should be made available for
purchase (or free distribution) by all individuals entering the viewing area. This cannot be
overemphasized - it is imperative that all persons seeking to view the eclipse
be properly outfitted with the only tool that will make such observation
safe. Solar viewing glasses MUST be worn for direct solar viewing whenever
the sun is not totally eclipsed. During the brief period of totality, it
is safe to directly observe the sun with no eye protection whatsoever - but ONLY
during TOTALITY.
4) Special consideration must be given for scientists and advanced, experienced amateurs who have applied in advance for dedicated
viewing locations within the official area.
5) Automated street lights and large parking lot lights must have their sensors overridden or disabled, so they will not activate banks of lights during totality!
This would be very detrimental to the experience!
6) Rules must be implemented among the general public regarding flash photography (forbidden!),
very young children and pets (not recommended!), and general milling about
immediately prior to the total eclipse. Many of the individuals mentioned
in (4) above will have equipment and experiments set up that have been years in
the planning and testing. There is only one opportunity for these
individuals to enjoy success, and while they will be very accommodating to the
inquisitive public, no excuse can be made for the (even inadvertent) upsetting
of this equipment by a member of the general public.
7) Proper expectation must be set in the local media as to what will be experienced during
the eclipse
8) Public order must be maintained at all times to ensure the complete enjoyability of the eclipse for all citizens
9) Peace officers must understand the emotion that will be released during the event, and maintain professionalism at all times to ensure
an enjoyable experience for all participants
10) Traffic control must be observed at all times; "safe times" must be maintained (based on local eclipse
circumstances) where movement of persons and vehicles is curtailed or
forbidden. It is a very common occurrence during totality that cars will
stop along roads, as people are entranced by the experience. Appropriate
notice must be made to the general public so that the events of the day will not
catch them off guard (leading to a possible breach of safety).
11) Provision must be made for supplies, facilities, weather reporting, cell phone bandwidth, etc., to ensure that existing infrastructure is not over-taxed.
Eclipse2017.org will be available to help you plan and
organize your community's plans. Simply contact us by e-mail or on our
web form to get going!