McCurtain County Prepares As Thousands Expected To Travel To View Solar Eclipse

Thousands of people are expected to travel to McCurtain County in a month to get a glimpse of the total solar eclipse. 

The executive director of the Idabel Chamber of Commerce says the area has been working for years to prepare for the eclipse, and they are excited for the day to be here.

"I would love to have a huge countdown clock.. and I'm still looking for one," said executive director Jackie Lecrone.

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Lecrone says there's a lot of unknowns as thousands of people are expected to travel to the area, but it's been a once-in-a-lifetime and exciting experience. 

"I'm hoping we are ahead of the game, planning for the worst, hoping for the best, that's the situation, that's our motto right now that we're living by," she said.

She says the planning includes everything like making sure there's plenty of food so restaurants can be stocked up, planning an eclipse festival so people have plenty to do and enjoy the days before, and making sure the town can handle all of the traffic.

"We have the emergency management team working together with Oklahoma Highway Patrol, local law enforcement, Choctaw Nation, and all of the business owners," she said.

The Broken Bow chamber is also preparing by passing out info sheets to local businesses and fact sheets to local schools. Lecrone says it's been a community effort, and she can't wait for April 8th. 

"It's still going to be so much fun, I think the citizens of McCurtain County are in for a shock at what we are about to experience," she said.

The majority of the area schools are closed on the day of the eclipse so students will be able to participate.