As eclipse chasers prepare for their journey to totality, law enforcement and local authorities in Western New York are working behind the scenes to maintain order amid the astrology boom.
A New York State Police spokesperson said at least 500 people, primarily in Niagara Falls and Erie County, were in attendance on Monday for the event, based on hotel reservations and data from past solar eclipses elsewhere. Tens of thousands, perhaps a million people, are expected to celebrate in the area. Officer James O’Callaghan.
However, data collected on the day of the event, as well as information collected from toll plazas, may indicate an even larger turnout. State police, along with local police, park police and the Department of Transportation, have been planning for the influx of tourists for more than a year.
O’Callaghan said about 150 additional state troopers will be brought in from nearby areas to control traffic and crowds. Drones and boats will be deployed “to ensure that the waterways are protected, not only for the people themselves, but also against possible threats.”
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The total solar eclipse that will be visible over Western New York on April 8 will pose many challenges to local law enforcement. (St. Petersburg)
In addition to the four minutes of reduced visibility during the eclipse, any disruption during the event could create an opportunity for criminals to gain entry. But the majority of area businesses will be closed for the day, and O’Callaghan said Western New York is well prepared.
“We’re going to have a lot of law enforcement in and around this area, so I don’t think that’s going to be an issue,” he told Fox News Digital this week. “If you try to do something weird, you’ll get caught.”
Impacts on cell phone service, traffic congestion, and reduced mobility for emergency first responders are all potential dangers. Given these concerns, the Niagara region on the Canadian side of the falls declared a state of emergency on April 8.
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Tourists stand atop the Prospect Point Observation Tower overlooking Niagara Falls on June 4, 2013 in Niagara Falls, New York. (John Moore/Getty Images)
Cell phone providers on the U.S. side of the Falls plan to take steps to improve service, and while large media downloads may still slow service, calls and text messages will continue normally throughout the day. It is expected that. Additional paramedics and firefighters will also be stationed throughout the area.
A large part of the preparation for this event included analysis of previous eclipse events. That included places like Oregon in August 2017, where heavy traffic took more than 20 hours to clear as tourists traveled to and from monitoring spots.
O’Callaghan said law enforcement will aim to clear people from the roads during the two-hour event. During the 2017 solar eclipse, one person in Kentucky died after being hit by a car while looking up at the sky in the wrong place.
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A woman wearing special glasses observes a solar eclipse. Mr O’Callaghan said viewing the eclipse while driving could pose a danger on the road. (St. Petersburg)
Wearing special glasses to view the eclipse while driving could pose a danger on the road, he said.
A spokesperson for Mayor Robert Restainno told Fox News Digital that the region is well-equipped to handle the surge in out-of-towners, and that Niagara Falls’ red-light district and famous falls are visited each year. Seven to nine million people visit in the summer.
But because the event is condensed into a short period of time, April 8th will present unique challenges.
“This is unique given the fact that it’s aimed at all ages, rather than being from a specific era,” O’Callaghan said. “We bring together so many people from so many places with so many different characteristics…It’s one of those things you only see once in a lifetime if you live close enough. It’s just a thing.”
“We actually encourage people not to leave as soon as the totalization is complete. [but] Stay there, like tailgating at a football game. [This is to] Free up traffic. Sit back and enjoy the entertainment there. That will make it easier to get out,” a Niagara Falls Mayor’s spokesperson said, noting area vendors, musicians and nighttime fireworks will be available.
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Totality casts a twilight shadow over the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, Syracuse, Watertown, and Massena. The Adirondack region of New York state will be the last to see a total solar eclipse before the eclipse moves to Vermont.
