COLUMBUS, Ohio — As Ohio prepares to welcome an influx of visitors for the total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8, Gov. Mike DeWine says the National Guard will be ready to assist if needed.
“I’ve asked Gen. Harris to be on standby to activate in a moment’s notice if a situation occurs where the Guard is needed to help with things like traffic congestion," Gov. DeWine said during a press conference Friday morning while announcing how various agencies across the state will have increased staffing.
Gen. John Harris said the National Guard is prepared should they get that call to help.
“I have great confidence that our partner agencies are prepared for just about every contingency, and we’re hopeful that the National Guard will not be needed for this response," Gen. Harris said. "But to that end, it’s our responsibility to be prepared. So, we’ll have soldiers on duty this weekend. In addition to that, our joint operation center will be open 24/7 as well as having a presence in the Emergency Operation Center. Moreover, we’ll also have liaisons in some of the key counties along the line of totality so that we can continuously monitor the situation on the ground."
He said they will also be watching certain variables over the weekend like weather and traffic patterns to determine if, when and where it might be necessary to deploy the National Guard.
“We’re optimistic that our citizens and our guests will enjoy Ohio hospitality. Frankly, if they don’t see the National Guard that simply means that our partner agencies have done the fantastic job that we expect them to do," Gen. Harris said.
Gov. DeWine, meanwhile, urged all Ohioans and visitors to be prepared for heavy traffic congestion -- especially after the eclipse is over.
“Despite all our cautions, this is not gloom and doom," Gov. DeWine added. "This should be a fun day, an interesting day, for people."
RELATED: WATCH LIVE | April 8 solar eclipse in Northeast Ohio: Special coverage starts at 2 p.m. Monday
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