By Allison G. S. Knox
Contributor, EDM Digest
On Monday, August 21, 2017, a solar eclipse will be passing over a large portion of the United States. Total solar eclipses are relatively rare, but are fascinating to watch. [link url=”https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/eclipse/?utm_term=.4a204e0150c3″ title=”One article by the Washington Post“] highlights the occurrence of solar eclipses. It is definitely a fascinating event when it happens.
While solar eclipses elicit intrigue from the public, it can also generate crowds of people interested in trying to catch the event first hand. This can potentially be an issue for emergency managers as crowds can be a matter of concern especially if panic is somehow associated with it.
The [link url=”http://mema.maryland.gov/Pages/default.aspx” title=”Maryland Emergency Management Agency”], for example, recently posted information about making sure people have set locations to meet to view the Solar Eclipse, while also mentioning that some areas may become crowded with people. Their posting highlights some of the concerns associated with natural events like this highlighting the importance for emergency managers to monitor large gatherings of people carefully.
Ancient Customs and Solar Eclipses
Solar eclipses are a relatively rare event, and can be rather worrying for an individual who doesn’t understand the science behind solar eclipses. [link url=”https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how” title=”A total solar eclipse”] occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun and casts a shadow on the Earth. From Earth, it looks as though the sun has been covered momentarily. There are [link url=”http://www.foxnews.com/science/2017/08/15/top-five-worst-superstitions-about-solar-eclipses.html” title=”numerous ancient superstitions”] associated with solar eclipses – issues that could lead to panic among a populous.
Emergency managers should be aware of these superstitions so they’re able to predict whether or not their community may have an issue during the event. For example, if there are organizations in the community that have certain negative beliefs associated with solar eclipses, emergency managers really need to prepare for the worst as these organizations may be a factor in solar-eclipse-related emergencies.
Crowd Control
With major events like solar eclipses come the potential for large gatherings of individuals. When it comes to crowds, the [link url=”https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/downloads/is15aspecialeventsplanning-jamanual.pdf” title=”Federal Emergency Management Agency recommends”] that emergency agencies have plans for managing large groups of people. In doing so, they can work to minimize some of the emergencies that may occur before they can worsen to proportions that may be difficult to control.
Understanding that large crowds can bring with it numerous emergency issues, it is therefore an important reason that emergency managers understand that there are some superstitions associated with solar eclipses creating the potential for mass panic to ensue. Further, the understanding of where individuals could potentially congregate to watch the eclipse becomes an important matter for managing the overall situation.
The solar eclipse taking place on Monday, August 21, 2017 is certainly an interesting event for many to watch. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be [link url=”https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-live-stream” title=”livestreaming the event”] so individuals who may not be able to view the solar eclipse will still be able to. While the event will be absolutely fascinating, emergency managers still need to effectively prepare for managing large crowds in their respective communities. Understanding where individuals congregate will help emergency managers to effectively manage the situation without it becoming a major emergency.
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