Hill County hosted the first of several planned meetings of first responders, law enforcement and community leaders recently to present plans for the April 8, 2024 eclipse.
The Hill County Office of Emergency Management, led by Tom Hemrick, coordinated the meeting and presentations by Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator Chris Jackson, Allyson Cliett with the City of Hillsboro and Lynette Hearrell with the Hillsboro Area Chamber of Commerce.
City representatives from Hillsboro, Whitney, Hubbard, Itasca, Aquilla and communities throughout the county were on hand for the presentations.
“We are working to gather information for our community on planned activities so we can appropriately deploy our resources and work together to create a great experience for the many visitors that we expect in our county for this event,” said Hill County Judge Justin Lewis.
On Monday afternoon, April 8, the moon will pass between the sun and the earth and completely block the face of the sun, creating a dark sky as if it were dawn or dusk. Hill County is situated directly along the eclipse’s center line of totality, and will experience one of the longest totalities in Texas, at 4 minutes 22.5 seconds.
Astronomy magazine voted Hillsboro the seventh best location to view the eclipse in North America. Hillsboro’s duration of totality is 11 seconds longer than Waco, 33 seconds longer than Dallas and 2 minutes 42 seconds longer than Austin.
Over 700,000 tourists from all over the world are expected to visit Texas for this historic celestial event. With our area’s optimal viewing location directly on the center line of totality, convenient location on Interstate 35 and low light pollution, many hotels are already fully booked for the day of the eclipse.
Organizers are planning for impacts from Thursday, April 4 through Tuesday, April 9 as tourists make their way in and out of Hill County.
The City of Hillsboro has been making plans for camping and activities at public sites – including Wallace Park, the Hillsboro Municipal Airport and the outlet mall site – and short-term rental and camping options have been provided to private property owners.
The city started planning for the eclipse crowds in September 2022, consulting with multiple state and local government agencies, citizens, businesses and subject-matter experts. Planning teams are in place to address the multiple aspects of preparation, including health, safety and logistics; communications; public sites and events; and private business. The goal is to provide an environment that promotes a safe and enjoyable experience for both residents and visitors.
Some of the activities planned include a three-day music festival featuring big names at the outlet mall site, which will also be an eclipse viewing and camping area.
Other plans at the site include a carnival, food and beverage vendors and shuttle service. Downtown Hillsboro will be transformed into “Main Street Eclipseboro,” with eclipse viewing locations and vendors planned.
While Hillsboro has the biggest eclipse-planning effort underway, other Hill County towns are already seeing an impact, with camping sites, hotels and private rentals largely fully booked for the eclipse.
Hill County Emergency Management made a presentation, explaining that the county is making plans to assist local partners as requested during the eclipse. With cities along Interstate 35 expected to see 50,000 to 100,000 visitors, one of the biggest concerns is traffic.
Due to the brief but dramatic increase in population, first responders are also preparing for the possibility of an increase in medical calls. CareFlite has committed to having two additional ambulances in the county during the eclipse, with the possibility of bringing in more resources if needed.
Cooperation is being sought from citizens, who are asked to inform Hill County Emergency Management about any large gatherings to assist first responders if they need to respond to a call.
Hill County officials have been asking for input from areas that have seen large eclipse crowds in the past to get a better idea of what to expect. Officials in those locations have urged the county to be ready for anything as visitors flock to the area.
While emergency preparations are an important factor in preparing for any large event, there are obvious benefits of welcoming so many people to town. One South Carolina Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that the 2017 eclipse was the “largest economic impact event” in its history.
Planning efforts will continue until the eclipse, and up-to-date information from the City of Hillsboro – or “Eclipseboro,” as it will be called in April – can be found at www.eclipseboro.com. A full guide to the eclipse and planning efforts can also be found on the website, along with specific information tailored to residents, visitors and vendors.
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