COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio is less than six months out from a total solar eclipse, but state officials say they’ve been planning for this moment for years.
“We started planning about four years ago and created a task of interested parties throughout Ohio,” said Wayne Schlingman, planetarium director at The Ohio State University.
The last total solar eclipse to pass over the United States happened in 2017, drawing 21 million spectators, according to the University of Michigan. It’s too soon to tell how many people will travel to Ohio’s path of totality on April 8 next year, but an influx of visitors is expected to flock to the central and northern areas of the state.
Schlingman says the task force has looked at every aspect of event preparation, from education and lodging to traffic flow and public safety.
“Because of that, I've learned how many Porta-Potties we have in the state of Ohio,” he said. “We’ve learned anything and everything that there is about planning and how to stage it.”
The state is ready for the total solar eclipse, but are you? Schlingman says now is the time to plan for your eclipse experience. Here are a few planning tips from the experts:
Order your eclipse glasses early, and make sure they are ISO and CE certified for safe viewing whether you’re in the path of totality or outside of it. If you are observing the eclipse from outside of the path of totality, you will need eclipse glasses for the entire duration of the event.
Make a pinhole camera at home and take it outside to practice. Don’t forget to study up on how to safely view a solar eclipse.
You can still get a sunburn during an eclipse. Make sure to wear sunscreen, a hat, and protective clothing to prevent skin damage.
If you’re planning on traveling to the path of totality, reserve lodging early. Much of Ohio’s path of totality covers rural areas, and hotels will likely sell out.
Get to your viewing location early and plan to stay late. Roads may be congested directly after the eclipse, so bring food and water and fill up with gas in case you get stuck in traffic.
Pay attention to the weather forecast on the day of the eclipse. 10TV’s meteorologists will give you good advice on travel and viewing conditions.
Cellphone and internet services could be disrupted due to the large influx of visitors, so plan for alternate communication forms in case of emergency.
Even if you aren’t traveling to the path of totality, your day could be impacted by eclipse traffic. Make sure to plan ahead for the work and school commutes.
10TV's Collin Dorsey traveled into the path of totality to find out how emergency management experts are preparing for the eclipse: