Hi all!? For our inaugural VACDaRN Steering Team post, sharing the message and attachments Michael sent to me
--Rachel
I realize that there is presently a shortage of information about preparing for the eclipse (not a ¡°wear special glasses¡± guide but rather, ¡°Are you prepared for cell service to be overwhelmed?¡±).
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The guides¡ one for Vermonters in the totality zone, and one for visitors from south of here (originally on Facebook and Front Porch Forum), are now being circulated by newspapers and social media around New England - what is nowadays called ¡°going viral.¡± ?(About which I¡¯m super pleased, because it might spare some folks serious harm.)
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Over here in Plainfield we haven¡¯t yet figured out how to get ambulances past the post-eclipse traffic jams on Route 2¡ where people may be melting down in their stuck cars without cell service, and having a health emergency. ?
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Emergency Management¡ as you probably know¡ has been warning us since late January.? I figured we ought to be warning the public as well, which is why I wrote the guidelines and tips.? If they know to be prepared, the number of eclipse injuries, stuck and lost cars, and health emergencies will decrease.
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Out of state drivers are also no match for our mud season dirt roads¡ especially as they get re-wetted by this next storm and its thaw, just before April 8th.
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Guides and tips are attached¡ one for visitors, one for us.? Please feel free to share if you are so inclined.
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I¡¯ll have our EOC open all day.?
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Starting after the eclipse ends we will have extra staffing including a public health nurse and volunteers to ride bicycles along the highway (with walkie talkies)¡ to let us know to make 911 calls for motorists if both traffic and cell service has ground to a halt (we have two landlines in the EOC).
