Photo of the temporary mobile hospital unit set up in Glandorf OH on 4/5/24.
The 2024 Eclipse – everyone’s talking about it! Well, they may be talking about it now but if you have been listening, they have been talking about this for well over a year. I attended two meetings featuring Brian Hilvers, Putnam County Emergency Management Agency’s director. A series of town hall informational meetings were in the summer of 2023 in preparation for the upcoming eclipse. I attended the August meeting and there were 3 people there. I also attended the March 5, 2024 meeting sponsored by the Council on Aging and the room was at capacity (about 70) – this meeting included a free lunch!
At the time of both of those meetings, the big unknown was the weather. April in NW Ohio can be anything from a blizzard to 75 degrees and maybe a tornado or two, just the type of weather we’ve had in the last 2 weeks. The weather would be the determining factor for how big the crowds will be. The numbers Hilvers threw out were astounding and with the predicted good weather for Monday, we may be on the bigger side of the spectrum. Here are some of the points of interest:
- The 2024 Eclipse is wider than the 2017 Eclipse as the sun is closer to the earth. The 2017 Eclipse was 71 miles wide. The 2024 Eclipse will be 124 miles wide.
- Forrest OH is considered the “epicenter” of the eclipse. It is located in Hardin county and has a population of 1300 people. They can expect a crowd of 200,000 eclipse seekers to descend on their village. They have been planning for 5 years.
- Putnam County has a population of 34,000. This number could double on April 8th. That will affect cellphone service, internet capabilities, water pressure, a surge at the grocery stores, fast food places, gas stations, etc.
- Putnam County has no hospitals. A 20 bed mobile hospital will be set up at the Mercy Health – Putnam County Emergency Services (Ambulatory Care Center) parking lot from Saturday to Monday to handle any medical issues should ACC get overburdened. More Narcan has been ordered.
- The real traffic problems could occur when the eclipse is over. Everyone gets in their car and heads out at the same time. In 2007 flooding shutdown I75 and all the traffic was re-routed to Route 12 through Columbus Grove. An accident on I75 could re-direct traffic to smaller state routes or county roads. In 2017 many Ohioans traveled to Kentucky to veiw the solar eclipse. Travel time back home doubled how long it took to get there (6 hours there, 17 hours back).
- There are 19 counties in NW Ohio and 18 of them will have some totality. Williams county will not be affected. 70% of the US population can get to our area of Ohio in 8 hours or less.
- For those who travel in electric cars, Putnam County has one charger at the Ambulatory Care Center (I believe there is also one at H&K).
- Putnam County schools canceled school for April 8 early in 2024. There are over 100 buses on the roads in Putnam County and the eclipse is happening at the time those buses would be out on the roads.
- Putnam County has lots of open viewing area, unobstructed by trees, hills or tall buildings. The eclipse will last about 3 hours starting at 1:30 and ending at 4:30. Totality should start at approximately 3:10pm and last for 3:27 minutes.
- A word of warning – I talked to a young lady who traveled to Kentucky in 2017 and she said she is hooked on seeing the eclipse now. It was such an experience that she would travel anywhere to see another one. This could happen to you!
Locally many businesses will be closed so their families can experience this once-in-a-lifetime event. Two area churches will be offering meals and the opportunity to share our town’s hospitality with any travelers passing through. Continental UM Church (N. Main) will have a breakfast, 7:30 – 10:30 and Christ UM Church (S Main) will offer a lunch, 11:00 – ??. Both are by donation. You are welcome to bring a yard chair and set up beside the church to veiw this wonder (bring your own glasses).
If you miss this event, the next time an eclipse will pass our way again is on September 14, 2099. This experience will be like Kennedy’s assination or the 1986 Challenger spacecraft – you will always remember where you were when the Eclipse of 2024 happened! Enjoy it safely!
