It appears some counties have finally realized there is an eclipse happening in less than a month.

That fact is old news to Chautauqua County residents who have been hearing about the eclipse for almost a year from local groups and from county government officials.

Even if we disagree with some of the ways the county has used money on eclipse-related items – $65,000 sunglasses are an example – it’s hard to say the county’s Emergency Services Department hasn’t been ahead of the game readying the county for any public safety implications created by the county’s location in the path of totality for the April 8 eclipse.

More recently county officials have been busy working with towns and villages throughout the county to help them be ready for the eclipse.

We’ve been having the discussion locally about whether or not to have schools open on April 8 for months.

The county and the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce have been helping businesses capitalize on the county’s prime location for those who will travel to the county for the eclipse.

Public safety organizations have been working together on how to handle traffic and possible increased emergency calls in anticipation of a rush of visitors to the area.

“Though the eclipse itself is not a threat, inadequate preparation can present substantial challenges,” said Noel Guttman, county director of emergency services. “Drawing from past experiences, we are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring Chautauqua County is thoroughly equipped to manage the surge of visitors, ensuring a secure and enjoyable environment for everyone. I’d prefer to be abundantly prepared and pleasantly surprised by this event, rather than underprepared and facing challenges on April 9th.”

The partial phase of the eclipse will begin at 2:04 p.m. before the full eclipse at 3:18 p.m. The partial phase will end at 4:31 p.m.

A complete list of scheduled events can be found on the Visitors Bureau’s website at tourchautauqua.com/explore/2024-eclipse. Guttman has said between 50,000 and 250,000 people could travel to the county to view the eclipse. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event – and it’s good to see Chautauqua County is prepared for it.