What Happens When a Town Grows 7x Overnight?

KALISPELL, Mont. - Aug. 16, 2017 - PRLog -- When the total solar eclipse traces its path across North America on August 21, everyone in every state will be able to experience the event to some degree. Folks lucky enough to be within a certain 70 mile-wide swath will experience "totality," complete coverage of the sun by the moon. Only one large city, Nashville, lies in that path, which means rural areas and small American towns from coast-to-coast are expecting throngs of visitors hoping to maximize their eclipse viewing time.

The festivities will be a boon to local economies, but also raise the specter of public safety issues. "Smaller communities simply don't have the infrastructure or personnel to serve such rapidly-expanding populations, especially when there are interruptions in communications," explains Ethan Petro of Nomad GCS, the Montana-based manufacturer of mobile command vehicles.

Hopkinsville, Kentucky (population 33,000), which will experience the longest period of eclipse totality, is expected to draw upwards of 200,000 out-of-towners. Along with its partners in the area, Nomad is bringing vital equipment and services to support the town. In fact, the company's TCV (Tactical Command Vehicle) is The Official Command Vehicle of Eclipsville (the alias Hopkinsville has given itself for the event).

"Nomad is pleased to contribute vehicle assets and personnel," says Petro. "The TCV is uniquely equipped for just this kind of mission, where both communication and transportation arteries may become choked. It can travel off-pavement, deploy quickly, and essentially run the town's critical operations from any location."

It's been 38 years since the United States experienced a total solar eclipse. With palpable excitement, Americans are readying for an unforgettable event. And first responders, government agencies, and communications professionals are gearing up to ensure it is also a safe one.

About Nomad: http://www.nomadgcs.com