GLENDO – Communities throughout the County continue to prepare for one of the largest influxes of tourists Platte County has seen, with an estimated 75,000 people expected to visit the area on Aug. 21 for the total solar eclipse.

Glendo, which lies directly in the path of the eclipse, is one of the prime areas in the country for viewing, and the totality of the eclipse will last 2 minutes 28 seconds in that area.

Platte County Emergency Management Coordinator Terry Stevenson said that State, Federal, and local emergency responders are working together to ensure that the days leading up to the event, as well as the day itself will be safe and fun for residents and visitors.

Stevenson said that while the County is working with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses to address the economic impact the event will have, the focus for the government is creating a safe travel and viewing environment. Working with State Parks, the Department of Transportation, and the National Guard in Guernsey, Stevenson said that the command center for the Platte County Eclipse is addressing issues including traffic control, law enforcement, and cell phone reception.

Stevenson said that determining how many visitors to prepare for has been problematic for the command center, and no clear estimates are available on the State level.

“One of the great difficulties we have is pinning down a number,” he said. “It is just somebody’s best guess.”

Pat Kondas, who is serving as the Public Affairs coordinator for Glendo and Guernsey, emphasized that local residents plan ahead for shortages and inconveniences that will come up with such a large inflow of visitors.

“The main thing we are telling people right now is that they should make practical preparations for the duration of the event,” she said. “Get things like groceries and fuel for your vehicles before hand, as these may sell out quickly.”

She also said that it is important for campers to bring sufficient water supplies, and emphasized the importance of bringing protective eyewear to view the eclipse.

He said that based on the proximity of Glendo to dense populations in Colorado, as well as the estimated number of visitors expected in Grand Teton and Casper, Platte County is currently preparing for up to 75,000 visitors, with many of these visitors making a day-trip from their homes to view the eclipse.

While the number is not certain, Stevenson said that it is a good start for organizers to plan for necessary supplies and arrangements.

“It is difficult to plan, because this is a one-time event,” he said. “We have never had anything like this, and we won’t have anything like this again.”

Stevenson said that the center is communicating with communities such as Sturgis, SD, and Cheyenne, which annually welcome a large number of tourists and visitors with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and Cheyenne Frontier Days.

“Those places are accustomed to planning for that impact,” he said. “They have learned lessons and carried those forward. We are trying to learn from their lessons as well.”

An interactive map of the eclipse path, as well as information on how long it will last in your area, can be found at the following link: http://xjubier.free.fr/en/site_pages/solar_eclipses/TSE_2017_GoogleMapFull.html