HOULTON, Maine – As town officials brace for Houlton’s population to potentially skyrocket during the April eclipse weekend, safety and emergency planning have taken center stage.
Details like setting up a central command center, designating law enforcement zones, establishing a medical emergency station, blocking off roads, determining traffic flow in and out of town, crowd control and getting people stationed throughout the town are all part of a large-scale eclipse plan resembling a detailed readiness blueprint.
Last week, Houlton Chief of Police and Interim Town Manager Tim DeLuca met with more than 30 eclipse ambassadors – trained volunteers – who will become law enforcement’s eyes and ears over the eclipse festival weekend.
“Having credentials that say ambassador comes with a lot of responsibility,” DeLuca said. “I can’t stress enough, be friendly, and have a good listening ear. Be approachable. Talk to people so you’re more visible, so they see you and they know we are watching.”
Houlton is the last U.S. town in the path of totality for the April 8 eclipse and that is why officials are preparing for crowds estimated at about 40,000. To affirm those predictions, planners say they are getting calls daily from eclipse visitors from many states who say they are bringing a car full of people, not to mention all available hotel rooms have been booked for months.
The town’s command post and operation’s center, the hub of the April 5-8 event, will be at the town hall where most officials will be located. The ambassadors will be posted at parking areas, star parks and in crowded downtown locations.
In the past, Houlton police have been able to call on regional law enforcement partners for events, but because the eclipse affects a large swath of the state, they are not available to help, he said.
“Border patrol has extra help, but they are going to be guarding the borders. Customs and border protection will have extra personnel guarding the port of entry, the state police are handling I-95 and Route 1 and the sheriff’s office is handling all rural areas,” DeLuca said. “We’ve all got our responsibilities and challenges. “
With resources potentially stretched thin, Houlton police officers will be positioned in one of four designated zones and the focus will be on responding to crimes and being ready to respond to calls for service. That’s why the ambassadors need to help with crowds and parking, DeLuca said.
“Crowds have personalities of their own. Get out there and engage with the groups and not just stand off to the side, that almost creates an us against them attitude,” DeLuca said. “Walking through the crowd creates a better atmosphere.”
Additionally, DeLuca said that if an ambassador witnesses a crime, they need to observe as many details as possible, such as hair color, eye color, clothing, license plate numbers.
“You are there paying attention to observations, what are you noticing? If a crime takes place, get all the identifiers,” he said.
During the meeting, several people suggested a card with all emergency numbers for ambassadors as well as the need for a person lost and found.
At this point, the plan is to have everything in place on Thursday, April 4, DeLuca said.
“We will have barricades up, we will have sanitation barrels out, and dumpsters and traffic cones will be in place,” he said.
Pleasant Street will be off limits for any parking and is planned for emergency access in and out of town, DeLuca said.
On Monday, April 8, the day of the eclipse, Houlton Regional Hospital will have a medical emergency station inside the Cary Library downtown.
According to town planners, eclipse crowds historically are different from rock concert crowds, like the infamous Limestone Phish crowds. But even if everyone is calm and respectful, DeLuca said the numbers alone will increase calls for police service.
“Accidents may be up, ambulance calls may be up, lost children,” he said. “But based on the information we have on this type of crowd, we are not expecting riot control and overservice of alcohol.”
The overall goal is to get visitors in and out in an orderly fashion and after the eclipse, get people along their way as quickly as possible, DeLuca said. They are looking at several alternative exit plans, he said.
“Just based on my experience it’s going to be a four to six hour operation to get people out of town,” he said. “The quicker we get them out, the quicker we will be able to recover.”
