2017 PATH OF TOTALITY ECLIPSE PLANNING TIMELINE Updated March 20, 2017 ISSUE SUMMARY On August 21, 2017 a total solar eclipse will travel across the United States. The most visible area for the eclipse is a 70 mile wide “Path of Totality” extending from the coast of Oregon through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. About 220 million people live within one day’s drive of the “Path of Totality”. This will be the first time a total solar eclipse will be visible from the United States mainland since 1979. Oregon has been identified as one of the best viewing locations for this event. The eclipse will start along the coast in central western Oregon and move through the center of the state and on east into Idaho. Due to the large number of people within a short distance of the eclipse thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people are expected to visit the small communities and public lands along the eclipse path, with potentially large impacts. Many of the communities in Oregon have been preparing for the event. Advertising has been widespread. Lodging has been sold out. Entertainment has been scheduled. Private landowners have made plans to host camping and other recreation activities. The significant increase in visitors will include many who will access the public lands for prime viewing. Some visitors will come to the area with previous camping experience and knowledge of recreating on public lands. However, many are also expected who will NOT have knowledge or experience using public lands. Some may not have the equipment, clothing, or transportation needed for the more “primitive” environment they will experience, especially in the central and eastern portion of the state. The influx of a large numbers of people onto public lands in Oregon during August has the potential for significant impacts. Potential impacts include traffic congestion, increased fire starts and resource damage. Other impacts will be identified as more information is gathered and the event becomes closer. EVENT OBJECTIVES ● Public and employee safety ● Customer service ● Fire protection 1 2017 PATH OF TOTALITY ECLIPSE PLANNING TIMELINE Updated March 20, 2017 ● Resource protection (natural, facility and employee) BACKGROUND The initial Solar Eclipse Response Planning meeting was held January 24, 2017 in Portland, Oregon. The goal of the meeting was to bring key agency personnel together to identify what problems could result from the solar eclipse, who should be involved in the initial planning efforts, and to agree to measures moving forward. The objectives of the meeting were to: ● Become familiar with participants, concerns, and ongoing efforts ● Collectively frame the problem for early planning efforts ● Identify coordination efforts for moving forward ● Discuss possible actions to take prior to, during, and after the event In addition, it was noted that other partners and cooperators not in attendance at the meeting need to be involved in the planning process moving forward. They include: ● State of Oregon ● Tribes ● Army Corp of Engineers ● Vale BLM ● USFWS ● Malheur and Wallowa Whitman National Forests ● Bureau of Indian Affairs ● Governor’s Task Force ● National Guard ● National Park Service Other state level planning includes: ● Coordination with Oregon State Governor's Task Force ● Coordination with Joint Information Center planning efforts and consistent public information outreach at state level ● Plan for consistent Public Use Restrictions across Oregon for Path of Totality (including public announcements) ● Coordination with County and State Office Emergency Service for: ○ Emergency Evacuation Plans - Evacuation Routes ○ Emergency Medical Services ○ Law Enforcement Surge ○ Traffic Control ○ Communications (radio/cell during the event) 2 2017 PATH OF TOTALITY ECLIPSE PLANNING TIMELINE Updated March 20, 2017 PROPOSED ORGANIZATION The Incident Command System is the basis for the organizational structure displayed below, with groups assigned under each functional area. Not all positions have been filled with a specific person, some will need to be identified as personnel are assigned. This organizational structure is flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of the incident. The proposed organization chart is included at the end of the document STRATEGIC PLANNING (Suggestions for pre-planning by local units) ● COFMS is planning a simulation in April with many agencies to exercise communications and plans to incorporate some eclipse issues into the simulation to allow folks to identify gaps. Other forests and units should also think about a simple, discussion based exercise with local cooperators to identify their own local gaps. ● Think about “Occupy” types taking advantage of the solar eclipse event and creating some havoc. What actions do you take? What will you do if law enforcement is drawn away for this new issue? ● The Rainbow family gathering is rumored to be in Oregon in 2017. Think about contingencies should they decide to holdover on the forest for the Solar Eclipse, or should some other similar event happen locally. ● Office of Emergency Management (OEM) Oregon has a planning document for law enforcement that could be tapped into. ● Have some discussion around how you might coordinate the law enforcement load between the feds, county law enforcement and city law enforcement to use what's available most efficiently. Be clear on response capability, jurisdictions & availability - what each agency can/can’t do. An example would be it’s unlikely there can be 24/7 LEO’s available. ● Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG) has the eclipse as a standing agenda item. This is an opportunity to provide input and communications or make requests. ● It's critical to have good education and communication messages available to go out before and during the eclipse. Public health and safety will always be our #1 priority. Work with local cooperators to develop coordinated messaging and provide them access to the regional “global” messages. (See messaging line item for more detail.) ● Travel Oregon did a pamphlet in which the Forest Service, BLM and State provided messages. Messages include information on bringing water and maps, fire prevention, Leave No Trace, limited cell phone service, and fireworks not permitted on federal lands. Stay in touch with and coordinate with them and use this message handout. ● Areas with the Western, Central and Eastern sections will have different focus needs. Have overarching strategic planning for all locations, but consider additionally, location specific planning. 3 2017 PATH OF TOTALITY ECLIPSE PLANNING TIMELINE Updated March 20, 2017 ● Consider a plan for resource protection (critical sites as well as people) and after event rehabilitation. ● Have messages provided to anyone in uniform and any agency employees that come in contact with the public. ● Have a plan in place for funding requests (aviation, severity, etc). Begin sending expected costs to regional finance person (Leah Daily) for tracking, as soon as possible ● Determine with cooperators what pre/during/after event issues will need to be addressed;: ○ Lodging (are there rooms available for incoming IMTs, LEOs, etc) ○ Staging area for folks arriving for the event. ○ How do we care for folks? How will you feed & support? ○ Budgeting for longer staffing hours, especially for PIOs/LEOs ○ Will this event be considered an incident? Can severity funding be requested? ○ If a T3 Team is used, how do they get paid? Central Oregon/Sisters will staff T3 teams. What contingency plan is in place if Type 3 teams aren't available due to fires? ○ Consider if this event should be handled differently due to impacts on dispatch capacity, will additional radios be needed due to cell towers being overloaded? ○ Consider how you will address road and traffic issues, especially with reduced law enforcement. People will be stopping in the road to watch the event. ○ How will you ensure with de-conflicted information with cooperators. Will you have a JIC? ○ Define roles in the event of an incident within an incident. Identify what feds will/won’t do to support counties. Need to identify each agencies “lane” so each can stay in the correct lane. ○ Encourage information sharing with everyone; don’t forget permittees, contractors, timber sale contractors and landowners ○ Consider need to pre-order mobile repeaters, COWS. Inventory available sat phones, available radio technicians, and supplemental dispatch personnel to support field communications ○ Determine what can/can’t be done in regards to Aviation and how responsibilities might be shared with county and local aviation resources. ○ Determine how aviation will be used to support medical emergencies based on the rules of each agency and proximity. TIMELINE February to April, 2017 ● Recreation: ○ Coordinate identification of recreation areas or sites that will need to be closed during the event and post that information for the public ○ Ensure critical facility needs such as portable toilets are ordered ○ Provide education material for the public about the event and dispersed camping ○ Issue Special Use and Recreation permits as needed 4 2017 PATH OF TOTALITY ECLIPSE PLANNING TIMELINE Updated March 20, 2017 ○ Identify private events planned near federal lands to understand potential impacts at a large scale ○ Consider what Public Use Restrictions may be needed before and during the event ○ Identify commercial activities that may