Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine sports a pair of eclipse glasses while talking to reporters at the Ohio Emergency Operations Center in Columbus, Ohio, on Friday, April 5, 2024. DeWine activated the center on Friday to assist communities before, during and after Monday's total solar eclipse, which could draw hundreds of thousands of tourists to the state. (AP Photo/Julie Carr Smyth)
A host of other state agencies — the state departments of Transportation, Public Safety, Health and Natural Resources, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the Ohio National Guard — will all be present at the emergency operations centers, and most are also surging resources toward the event.
If emergency officials are viewing the eclipse as they would a major weather event, the Department of Natural Resources is looking at it as if a major fireworks display were taking place in each of its 23 state parks and five wildlife areas all at the same time, director Mary Mertz said. All 300 of the state's commissioned wildlife officers will be on duty this weekend. Extensive park programming around the eclipse, including hundreds of activities and viewing events, begins Saturday.
Ohio is curtailing highway construction projects headed into Monday, so that maximum lanes are available to accommodate heavy traffic, Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks said. Officials encouraged travelers to pack extra snacks and water, for both themselves and any pets they have along; phone chargers; and paper road maps in case of cell service disruptions.
Besides traffic, eye damage is the other major risk associated with the eclipse. Marchbanks also noted that people should not drive in their eclipse glasses.
Col. Charles Jones of the Ohio State Highway Patrol advised "planning, preparation and patience" in relation to the eclipse. Stopping along the highway to view the eclipse is both illegal and dangerous, he said.
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Travelers might consider delaying their trips home for several hours after the eclipse, to allow crowds and traffic to dissipate, if not staying overnight, DeWine said.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ohio-gov-dewine-precautions-ensure-great-day-leadup-eclipse