Agencies plan for solar eclipse - Thousands to gather for momentary event.

NORWALK — Bruce Springsteen once sang: "Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun. Woah, but mama that's where the fun is." Thousands of eyes in Norwalk will be looking to the sky on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will pass over the Maple City, but without proper protection, they may be blinded by the light. With proper protection for local resources in mind, organizations all over Huron County met this week at the Huron County Emergency Management Agency office to prepare for the upcoming total solar eclipse. Norwalk is among numerous communities that will constitute ground zero for the event, which is estimated to last, when complete, for under five minutes. Officials estimate that the city and its surrounds will host between 170,000 and 200,000 people, putting strains on everything from hotels and campgrounds to grocery stores and law enforcement agencies. Huron County EMA Director Art Mead gathered representatives from the public and private sectors, along with the news media, to participate in a video conference with Collin Campbell of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. Campbell presented OEMA's 2024 Eclipse Needs Assessment document for spring of 2022. Campbell highlighted several areas of concern identified by his agency, including traffic, accommodations, communications and public education. Campbell encouraged those attending to reach out to local community assets such as grocers' associations, campgrounds, wireless communications providers, the media, educators and amateur radio operators. He also suggested sending press releases to media outlets and hosting community events with guest speakers, to raise awareness regarding anticipated problems during the eclipse. "We're trying to determine how big this is going to get," said Dave Ditz, chief deputy for the Huron County Sheriff's Office. "It could be a mess," added Tim Hollinger, Huron County Public Health director. Campbell said two stumbling blocks for planners would likely be shortages in personnel and procrastination. "You don't want to wait too long for this," he said. Mead said getting ahead of any problems associated with the event is precisely his focus, noting that while the state is concerned with larger, overall planning, he is concerned with tackling issues on a local basis. "I'm coming up with some B, C and D plans," Mead said. "We're going to be on our own." "I could sleep through it. It doesn't matter to me," Mead said, expressing his personal disinterest in viewing the eclipse. He added, however, that he is encouraged by the spirit of cooperation that exists among agencies and organizations in area. "I like being in Huron County, because we take care of our own." Eric Pearson, emergency manager for Meade County, S.D., said his agency is familiar with issues surrounding sudden population explosions. The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally sees the local population increase from about 6,500 to about 500,000 every August. "It's not too difficult," Pearson said. "A lot of it is the communication and coordination aspect of it." During a total solar eclipse, the moon comes between the sun and the earth, casting the darkest part of its shadow, called its "umbra" onto the earth. Depending upon viewers' positions, the eclipse's totality will last between two-and-a-half minutes to four-and-a-half minutes. The center line of the eclipse's totality will be directly over Norwalk. During the period of totality, the sun's outer rim, or "corona," will be visible around the jet-black sphere of the moon. The 2024 event will be the first total solar eclipse in Ohio since 1806.