Oklahoma's National Guard is set to be deployed for the upcoming total solar eclipse, when as many as 100,000 people are expected to visit one county.
In a statement on Tuesday, the guard said it would assist emergency management to cope with "an unprecedented number of tourists" on April 8 in McCurtain County, in the southeast of the state.
The guard will provide first responders as well as units with hazmat response capabilities in case of an incident like an industrial fire.
Lt. Col Jabonn Flurry, commander of the 63rd Civil Support Team, said: "This influx of visitors has the potential to overtax local resources and thanks to the training and experience our Guardsmen have working alongside local agencies all across Oklahoma, the CST is uniquely qualified to support our fellow Oklahomans."
McCurtain County contains the city of Idabel, which NASA has predicted will be among the 13 best spots in the country to see the total eclipse when it occurs. The total eclipse—when the sun is completely shrouded by the moon—is due to begin at 1:45 p.m. CT (2:40 p.m. ET) there and end at 1:49 p.m.
With the spectacle expected to draw crowds across the nation to areas in the eclipse's path, officials are already voicing concern about stretched public safety resources, while some schools plan to close for the day, citing student safety.
At least four states on the eclipse's trajectory have urged residents to stock up on groceries and gas ahead of its occurrence, as traffic is expected to overwhelm local roads. The Federal Highway Administration has also warned that increased traffic to remote areas could lead to unsafely parked vehicles and the potential for wildfires in areas with dry vegetation.
McCurtain County is home to the Beavers Bend State Park, among those recommended for viewing the eclipse by the Oklahoma state government.
Cody McDaniel, the McCurtain County emergency manager, told KOCO News 5 that as well as concerns about a build-up of traffic on the county's two-lane roads, first responders were preparing for potential search and rescue operations.
"What we found through our research during some of the other eclipses, people were getting lost because cars were stopped on the road. So they'd get out and walk into the fields," he said.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation has created a solar eclipse road map showing the live status of roads, including ongoing roadworks, within the vicinity where the total eclipse will be visible.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management also suggested considering visiting viewing spots in neighboring states that may be less busy, such as in Texas and Arkansas. The eclipse will move from northern Mexico across the east and into New England.
The Oklahoma National Guard has previously been deployed to respond to extreme weather events such as floods, wildfires and tornadoes.
Update 3/20/24, 9:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with further information.
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