[Kirk Watson Austin Mayor Andy Brown Judge, Travis County Ken Snipes Director, HSEM Eric Carter Travis County Chief Emergency Management Coordinator Martin Ritchey Director, CAPCOG Homeland Security Paul Aura National Weather Service, Meteorologist Baylor Johnson Public Information Manager, Austin Public Library Jessica Gilzow Mgr, Culture & Arts Education, Parks and Recreation Dept. Brad Wheelis TxDOT Communications Director Sam Haynes Public Information Manager, ABIA]
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WHENEVER YOU'RE READY, WHENEVER YOU CAN LET ME KNOW.
WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY AND GOOD AFTERNOON, AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.
UH, I'M MAYOR KIRK WATSON, AND I'M JOINED TODAY BY TRAVIS COUNTY, JUDGE ANDY BROWN, AS WELL AS EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS FROM BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, FROM THE CAPITAL AREA COUNCILS OF GOVERNMENT, AND SEVERAL OTHER AGENCIES AND VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS, UH, DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT HAVE ALL BEEN VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED IN PLANNING FOR THE TOTAL ECLIPSE HAPPENING ON APRIL 8TH, NEXT MONDAY.
THIS IS A RARE AND EXCITING OCCURRENCE, AND AS I'M SURE EVERYBODY KNOWS BY NOW, HERE IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE AND LUCKY TO BE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY, MEANING WE GET A FRONT ROW SEAT AND THE BEST VIEW OF THIS WONDERFUL HISTORIC EVENT, BY THE WAY, JUDGE BROWN AND I TYPICALLY DIVIDE UP DUTIES.
I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WEATHER TODAY,
SO THAT'S WHO YOU CALL IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT EXACTLY THE WAY WE'RE HOPING, UM, MCC ANYWAY, WHAT WHAT MAKES THIS HISTORIC? LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT A SECOND.
THERE WILL BE, THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE IN THE UNITED STATES UNTIL 2044.
THERE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER TOTAL ECLIPSE VISIBLE FROM THIS AREA UNTIL THE YEAR 2343, WHICH IS OVER 300 YEARS FROM NOW.
THE LAST TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE FROM CENTRAL TEXAS WAS IN THE YEAR 1397.
THAT WAS THE YEAR I WAS FIRST ELECTED MAYOR
ACTUALLY, YOU CAN TELL WE ARE NOT EXAGGERATING IN ANY WAY WHEN WE SAY THIS IS REALLY A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT FOR CENTRAL TEXAS.
OUR COMMUNITY HAS A CHANCE TO REALLY VIEW SOMETHING SPECTACULAR, AND WE WANT EVERYONE TO DO THAT SAFELY, TO PRIORITIZE THEIR WELLBEING AND TO KNOW HOW TO PREPARE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE ALL THESE FOLKS GATHERED HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT AND HOW TO EXPERIENCE THIS EVENT IN A WAY THAT'S SMART, SAFE, AND ENJOYABLE FOR EVERYONE.
SO WITH THAT, I'LL INVITE, UH, MY PARTNER COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN UP HERE TO SAY A FEW WORDS.
HOW'S IT GOING? I'M TRAVIS COUNTY JUDGE ANDY BROWN.
AND, UH, TODAY WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE PREPAREDNESS EFFORTS ACROSS TRAVIS COUNTY IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND THE SMALL CITIES AND THE OTHER JURISDICTIONS TO SUPPORT THE MANY VISITORS THAT WE'RE HOPING AND EXPECTING TO SEE IN CENTRAL TEXAS FOR THE APRIL 8TH TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE.
IT'S A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT MARKING THE FIRST SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE HEART OF TEXAS IN 600 YEARS.
I THINK I READ IN THE STATESMAN THAT HASN'T HAPPENED SINCE 13, 13 97, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY BEFORE THE LAST TIME WE ELECTED A DEMOCRAT STATEWIDE IN TEXAS,
I ISSUED A DISASTER DECLARATION LAST MONTH TO ENSURE THAT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE THE RESOURCES NECESSARY AND THE ABILITIES TO PROTECT HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF ALL OF OUR RESTAURANT RES RESIDENTS AND VISITORS, ESPECIALLY TO HELP OUR EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND FIRST RESPONDERS GET AROUND THE DAY OF AND TO PO POSITION OURSELVES TO PROVIDE AID AND ASSISTANCE IF NEEDED.
WE, THE MAYOR AND I ORGANIZED A CALL EARLIER, I GUESS LAST WEEK, UH, WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, ALL THE EMERGENCY MANAGERS, KIND OF ACROSS TRAVIS COUNTY IN THE REGION, BECAUSE FOR BIG EVENTS LIKE THIS, IT'S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO WORK REGIONALLY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THESE DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.
AND, UH, THAT CALL WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE DIFFERENT EMERGENCY SERVICES FOLKS TO CHECK IN WITH EACH OTHER, TO HEAR WHAT EVERYBODY'S DOING AND TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED.
UM, WANNA EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS JUST A PRECAUTION, THE WHOLE, UH, DISASTER DECLARATION TO MAKE SURE OUR FIRST RESPONDERS AND PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS ARE ABLE TO BETTER MANAGE TRAFFIC AND CROWDS AS WE ANTICIPATE MORE PEOPLE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF TRAVIS COUNTY THAN NORMAL.
THIS IS WHERE THE PATH OF THE TOTALITY OF THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE WILL TAKE PLACE FOR THE LONGEST PERIOD OF TIME, OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNER AGENCIES AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL READY AND PREPARED.
WE WANT EVERYBODY IN THE AREA TO HAVE A GREAT TIME TO COME VISIT AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY, BUT WE ALSO WANT THEM TO BE SAFE AND MANAGE THEIR EXPECTATIONS REGARDING TRAVEL AND TRAFFIC IN THE AREA ON APRIL 8TH.
SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS BE EARLY OR PLAN TO BE LATE.
UM, I'M, I'M PERSONALLY READY WITH MY SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING GLASSES, AND I PERSONALLY CAN'T WAIT TO EXPERIENCE THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFETIME, UH, SEEING IT FROM ONE OF OUR TRAVIS COUNTY PARKS.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SOLAR ECLIPSE VIEWING SAFETY, YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, TRAVIS COUNTY TX.GOV/TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
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AND FOLLOW OUR TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES ON SOCIAL MEDIA.MY NAME IS KEN SNIPES AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF AUSTIN'S HOMELAND SECURITY AT EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE.
THE ECLIPSE THAT YOU'VE HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT IS NOW LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY.
WE ARE EXPECTING AN INFLUX OF PEOPLE WHO ARE, WHO WILL BE DRAWN TO OUR AREA TO EXPERIENCE THE ECLIPSE AS WELL AS OTHER EVENTS IN OUR AREA.
PEOPLE IN AUSTIN ARE COMING, UH, PEOPLE ARE COMING TO AUSTIN TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NUMBER OF EVENTS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT.
WE HAVE, UH, IT'S GONNA BE A VERY BUSY WEEKEND.
WE HAVE, UH, A, UM, SOCCER MATCH AT Q2 STADIUM.
WE HAVE THE ROSEDALE RIDE, WE HAVE THE CAP 10 K RACE AND COUNTRY MUSIC, THE CMT AWARDS, UH, AMONG OTHER EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING THAT WEEKEND, WE ARE PREPARING FOR VISUAL IMPACT SIMILAR TO THE SCALE OF WHAT WE WOULD NORMALLY SEE OVER A WEEKEND OF F1 OR THE SPRING FESTIVAL.
HOTEL OCCUPANCY IS CURRENTLY AVERAGING AROUND 77% FROM SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
AND OVER THE SAME PERIOD, UH, HOTEL RATES ARE UP BY 48%.
OVER THIS TIME LAST YEAR, WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE TO EXPECT IMPACTS.
PLAN YOUR TRAVEL IN ADVANCE, EXPECT DELAYS AND LONG TRAVEL TIMES.
CONSIDER AVOIDING OR RESCHEDULING NON-ESSENTIAL TRAVEL OR TELEWORK IF POSSIBLE.
IF YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF ROUTINE ACTIVITIES LIKE REFUELING OR GETTING GROCERIES, WE ASK THAT YOU DO SO IN ADVANCE.
ANOTHER POINT THAT WE WANT TO MAKE IS BECAUSE IT WILL BE SO CROWDED HERE, OR THE POSSIBILITY OF IT BEING SO IS, IS VERY PREVALENT, WE WANT TO ASK PEOPLE TO, UH, BE AWARE THAT YOU COULD HAVE OR EXPERIENCE INTERRUPTIONS IN CELL SERVICE DURING MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THIS.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT CELL CELL CARRIERS MAY BE OVERLOADED, SO YOUR CELL SERVICE MIGHT BE IMPACTED DURING THOSE TIMES.
IF YOU EXPERIENCE THIS, TEXT MESSAGES MAY HAVE MORE SUCCESS THAN A CALL.
IF YOU NEED EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE DURING THIS TIME AND YOU DON'T HAVE CELL SERVICE, YOU CAN ALSO TEXT 9 1 1, MAKE PLANS WITH YOUR FAMILY.
IF YOU'RE OUT EXPERIENCING ONE OF THE MANY EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ACROSS OUR REGION, UH, TO HAVE A PLAN IN CASE YOU LOSE CONTACT WITH YOUR FAMILY, ESTABLISH A SAFE MEETING AREA IN ADVANCE.
AND THIS IS ALSO A GOOD PRACTICE, UH, OUTSIDE OF THE ECLIPSE AS WELL.
HOMELAND SECURITY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT HAS COORDINATED INFORMATION BETWEEN CITY DEPARTMENTS AND WITH PARTNER AGENCIES ACROSS THE REGION.
THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER WILL BE OPEN TO SUPPORT THIS EVENT.
OUR FOCUS IS TO SUPPORT FIRST RESPONDERS IF NEEDED.
WE ARE WORKING WITH TRAVIS COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE BACKUP RADIO AVAILA AVAILABILITY IF NEEDED.
AND I WILL CLOSE ON A COUPLE OF SAFETY NOTES TO SAFELY WATCH THE ECLIPSE AND TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM INJURY.
NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT AN ECLIPSE WITHOUT EYE PROTECTION.
EYE PROTECTION MUST BE CERTIFIED TO MEET ISO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS AND SHOULD BE FREE OF SCRATCHES, REGULAR SUNGLASSES, AND I REPEAT REGULAR SUNGLASSES ARE NOT ENOUGH.
YOU SHOULD ALSO NEVER LOOK AT THE SUN THROUGH A TELESCOPE OR A CAMERA LENS.
TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE ECLIPSE AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE, YOU MAY GO TO WWW.READYCENTRALTEXAS.ORG/ECLIPSE.
AGAIN, THAT'S WWW READY CENTRAL TEXAS.ORG/ECLIPSE.
AND YOU CAN ALSO FIND LANGUAGE AVAILABLE IN 14 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES ON OUR ALERTSPAGE@AUSTINTEXASGOV.GOV SLASH ALERTS.
AGAIN, THAT'S AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ALERTS.
AND NOW WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO MY COUNTERPART CHIEF OF TRAVIS COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, OFFICE.
HEY, GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
UH, HOPEFULLY, UH, THE WEATHER WILL BE BEAUTIFUL LIKE THIS NEXT WEEK, BUT WE'LL BE PREPARED IF IT ISN'T.
UH, OUR EFFORTS FOR THE ECLIPSE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON MAKING SURE THAT FOLKS, UH, OUT AND ABOUT ON THAT DAY, THAT MORNING, THROUGH THAT WEEKEND, HANDLE IT, HAVE A GOOD TIME, BUT BUT DO SO SAFELY.
UH, OUR, UH, LOCAL, UH, DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON, UH, BASICALLY PARK SAFETY.
WE HAVE A STRING OF BEAUTIFUL PARKS, NOT JUST IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, BUT OUT IN THE COUNTY.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE OUR GUESTS ARE, ARE IN THOSE PARKS, ENJOYING THEIR EXPERIENCE AND DOING SO IN A SAFE MANNER.
WE'RE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE TRANSPORTATION, UH, NETWORKS THAT ARE GOING ON THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT CARRY THE TRAFFIC THROUGH OUR AREA.
UH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BOTH THE CITY OF AUSTIN
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T AND OTHERS JUST TO, TO, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE ALL ON, IN SYNC ABOUT THE FLOW AND HOW WE CAN BEST SUPPORT EACH OTHER AS WE, AS KEN SAID, SUPPORT OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IF WE NEED TO MOVE LEFT, RIGHT NORTH, SOUTH, UH, WHATEVER IT'S CALLED FOR.AND OF COURSE, UM, UH, WE'RE JUST LOOKED AT LOOKING AT PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE'VE TAKEN A LOT OF MEASURES TO ENHANCE OUR, THE ABILITY OF OUR ESDS, OUR TRAVIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND OTHER FIRST RESPONDER AGENCIES JUST TO, TO CONTINUE TO, UH, DELIVER SERVICES AND, AND WHAT IS AN UNTICKED EVENT, RIGHT? A MAJOR EVENT GOING ON IN OUR AREA.
WE'VE DONE OUR BEST TO ANTICIPATE THE NEEDS AND, AND PROVIDE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT.
UH, SO JUST A LITTLE NOTE FOR RESIDENTS.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S A GOOD, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
WE, WE'VE CONSTANTLY TALKED ABOUT THE TRAVELING PUBLIC COMING THROUGH OUR AREA.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE ECLIPSE, YOU CAN WALK OUT YOUR FRONT DOOR, HOPEFULLY WITH GLASSES DOWN AND LOOK UP.
IT'S COVERING, IT'S COMING OVER MOST OF THE AREA, TRAVIS COUNTY.
SO YOU DON'T NECESSARILY NEED TO TRAVEL.
IF YOU DO WANNA GATHER WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, THEN TAKE THE JUDGE'S NOTE, RIGHT? TRAVEL EARLY OR PLAN TO BE LATE.
CAN'T PREDICT WHAT THE TRAFFIC'S GONNA BE LIKE.
UM, KEY NOTE AGAIN, AND KEN KIND OF HIT YOU WITH IT.
UH, SERVICES THAT DEPEND ON THAT ARE DESIGNED AROUND POPULATION.
IT'S CRITICAL THAT YOU UNDERSTAND YOU COULD HAVE SOME DISRUPTIONS, WHETHER TEMPORARY OR OTHERWISE.
OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, FOOD TRUCKS, WE GOT A LOT OF THEM IN THE REGION, RIGHT? YOU MIGHT, IF ALL YOU DEPEND ON IS YOUR, UH, CELLULAR, UH, UH, SERVICE TO TAKE PAYMENTS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO HAVE ABILITY TO DO CASH TRANSACTIONS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS.
IF YOU, IF YOU EXPERIENCE A DISRUPTION, NOT SAYING THAT YOU WILL, BUT BE PREPARED, BE PREPARED, NOT SCARED.
AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ENSURE.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY, AND I'LL, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO THE NEXT, UH, SPEAKER.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR THE CAPITAL AREA COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS, WHICH INCLUDES THE 10 COUNTIES THAT MAKE UP THE AUSTIN METRO REGION.
UH, OUR WESTERN COUNTIES, UM, HAVE BEEN WORKING OVERTIME BECAUSE OF COURSE THEY'RE GONNA BE IN THE AREA OF TOTALITY THE MOST.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE LANO, BLANCO, BURNETT, UM, HAYES, AND OF COURSE THE WESTERN PART OF WILLIAMSON AND TRAVIS WILL BE MOST IMPACTED.
THE OTHER COUNTIES, WHICH INCLUDE LEE FAYETTE CALDWELL, UM, THEY'RE GONNA HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL ISSUE RELATED TO POTENTIAL ISSUE WITH TRAFFIC.
UH, WE BEGAN OUR PLANNING, UH, WITH OUR HOMELAND SECURITY TASK FORCE, WHICH COMPRISED OF 28, UH, SENIOR, UM, APPOINTED OFFICIALS FROM FIRE AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, SOME TWO YEARS AGO.
SO FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN PREPARING AND, UH, THIS, UH, REALLY STEPPED UP THIS LAST YEAR IN SEPTEMBER WHERE WE HAD A SUMMIT WITH SOME 80 OF THESE FOLKS, UH, GETTING TOGETHER AT OUR HEADQUARTERS.
UH, THAT INCLUDED ALSO, UH, REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TEXAS DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, TXDOT, TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE, AND MANY OTHER VERY IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS.
SO, UH, I THINK THAT THE REST OF THE SPEAKERS HAVE ALREADY PRESSED HOME ALL THE SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
UH, WE WOULD LIKE TO ALSO HAVE EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT ECLIPSE.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT, AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, PAUL YRA.
I'M PAUL YRA WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE OUTTA NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS.
UH, FIRST OFF, I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SCIENCE, UH, OF AN ECLIPSE.
THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, UH, IS ACTUALLY OCCURRING WHEN THE MOON IS PASSING IN BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE EARTH, UH, COMPLETELY BLOCKING THE FACE OF THE SUN.
UH, THOSE THAT ARE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY, WE'LL ACTUALLY SEE THE SUN'S CORONA.
THIS IS SOMETHING OF THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE THAT WE NORMALLY CAN'T SEE JUST 'CAUSE OF THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE SUN.
UH, THE PATH OF TOTALITY WILL ROUGHLY BE ABOUT 115 MILES WIDE WITH TOTALITY LASTING ALMOST FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES, DEPENDING ON YOUR LOCATION, FURTHER OUT INTO THE HILL COUNTRY.
SO THE WEST OF AUSTIN AND TRAVIS COUNTY IS WHERE THEY'LL HAVE FOUR TO FOUR, FOUR AND A HALF MINUTES WORTH OF TOTALITY, UH, HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA.
LONGEST WE BE ABOUT TWO MINUTES IN PORTIONS OF THE CITY, UH, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, MAYBE NOT AT ALL.
UH, IN THIS PARK WHERE WE'RE TALKING RIGHT NOW, ABOUT ONE MINUTE OF TOTALITY, UH, THE ECLIPSE WILL BEGIN JUST AROUND NOONTIME NEXT MONDAY, ON APRIL 8TH, UH, REACH TOTALITY AT ROUGHLY ABOUT 1:37 PM AND THE ECLIPSE WILL THEN FINISH ROUGHLY AT AROUND 3:00 PM SO IT'S NOT JUST THOSE FEW MINUTES OF TOTALITY.
THE ECLIPSE ACTUALLY LAST ALMOST ABOUT THREE HOURS FROM BEGINNING TO END.
SO THE WEATHER FORECAST, THAT'S OBVIOUSLY WHAT IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT VIEWING THE ECLIPSE.
UM, THERE'S GOOD NEWS AND BAD NEWS.
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THE BAD NEWS IS THAT THE WEATHER PATTERN THAT THE MODELS ARE ACTUALLY SHOWING KIND OF IS A PATTERN THAT TENDS TO GIVE US AT LEAST SOME CLOUDS AND EVEN CHANCES OF RAIN.AND SO WE'RE ACTUAL OFFICIAL FORECAST FOR THE AUSTIN AREA RIGHT NOW FOR MONDAY ARE CARRYING CLOUDS AND ACTUALLY CARRYING A SMALL CHANCE OF RAIN.
THE GOOD NEWS WITH THAT IS THAT OBVIOUSLY THE FORECAST CAN CHANGE A LOT, AND IT DOES VERY FREQUENTLY, ESPECIALLY AS WE GET INTO THE SPRINGTIME, LIKE IN APRIL WHERE WE ARE.
AND EVEN IF IT IS CLOUDY, UH, THERE ARE STILL SOME VIEWING POSSIBILITIES WITH CLOUDS, ESPECIALLY IF WE JUST HAVE HIGH CLOUDS COMING IN.
UH, USUALLY FROM PAST EXPERIENCES WITH ECLIPSES, THE ECLIPSES ARE ACTUALLY STILL VIEWABLE.
UH, ONE THING WE HAVE TO REALLY KIND OF WATCH IS THE LOW CLOUDS.
WE GET A LOT OF LOW CLOUDS, VERY THICK CLOUDS IN THE MORNING, ESPECIALLY IN THE SPRINGTIME.
IF WE HAVE A LOT OF THAT CLOUDINESS, THEN THAT MAY ACTUALLY HAMPER SOME OF OUR VIEWING.
THERE'S A LOT OF CHANGE IN THE FORECAST THAT'S PROBABLY GONNA HAPPEN.
AND SO I WOULD SAY JUST KIND OF KEEP TRACK OF THE FORECAST DAILY AND JUST WATCH THE FORECAST EVOLVE AS WE GET TOWARD MONDAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA TURN OVER TO BAYLOR JOHNSON WITH THE AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
I'M THE PUBLIC INFORMATION AND MARKETING PROGRAM MANAGER FOR AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY.
UH, AND AT AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY, OUR MISSION IS TO INSPIRE ALL TO DISCOVER, LEARN, AND CREATE.
UH, AND WHAT AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
WE HAVE TO DO ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS, UH, WITH A ONCE IN A LIFETIME PHENOMENON, LIKE A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, UH, COMING UP NEXT WEEK.
SO TO HELP CENTRAL TEXAS PREPARE FOR THIS ONCE IN A LIFETIME EVENT, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY IS HOSTING A SERIES OF EV SERIES OF EVENTS IN THE LEAD UP TO THE ECLIPSE, DISTRIBUTING ECLIPSE GLASSES TO THE PUBLIC, AND HOSTING WATCH PARTIES AT NINE LOCATIONS IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY.
ALL OF THE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS AND EVENTS, UH, ARE AVAILABLE ON THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE@LIBRARY.AUSTINTEXAS.GOV SLASH ECLIPSE.
SO FIRST OF ALL, IN THE LEAD UP TO THE ECLIPSE, BEGINNING A FEW WEEKS AGO AND CONTINUING ALL THE WAY UNTIL MONDAY, UH, A PL LOCATIONS HAVE BEEN HOSTING ASTRONOMY THEMED PROGRAMMING FOR ALL AGES, INCLUDING A TRAVELING PLANETARIUM SHOW TO TEACH FAMILIES AND KIDS ALL ABOUT THE ECLIPSE.
UH, WE'VE ALSO PARTNERED WITH THE NASA JET PROPULSION LIBRARY TO INVITE A GROUP OF NASA SCIENTISTS TO LEAD A SERIES OF TALKS, BEGINNING TODAY AT LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT THE CITY, UH, COVERING THEMES INCLUDING SKY WATCHING, BACKYARD ASTRONOMY AND MARS EXPLORATION.
UH, THEN STARTING ON FRIDAY, UH, APRIL 5TH AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, UH, WE WILL BE HOSTING NASA SCIENTISTS AND SCIENCE DISPLAYS AND A COLLECTION OF NASA EXHIBITS IN THE DEMONSTRATION AREA AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, UH, WHERE THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO CHECK OUT THESE INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE UPCOMING SUNRISE MISSION, UH, AND LIVE VIEWINGS OF THE SUN THROUGH A SPECIAL SOLAR TELESCOPE.
THEN ON THE DAY OF THE ECLIPSE, NINE A PL LOCATIONS WILL BE HOSTING WATCH PARTIES.
THOSE LOCATIONS ARE THE ED BRANCH, THE MANCHACA BRANCH, THE NORTH VILLAGE BRANCH, OLD QUARRY BRANCH, PLEASANT HILL BRANCH, TWIN OAKS BRANCH, WILLIE MAE, KIRK BRANCH, WINDSOR BRANCH, AND THE CENTRAL LIBRARY.
UH, ALL OF THESE EVENTS WILL INCLUDE, UH, CRAFTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES AND ARE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GATHER, GATHER WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO WATCH THE ECLIPSE CLOSE TO HOME.
UH, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR.
YOU CAN VISIT ONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD LIBRARIES, UH, TO BE WITH PEOPLE AND LEARN ABOUT THE ECLIPSE.
UH, THE CENTRAL LIBRARIES, UH, ECLIPSE WATCH PARTY.
BESIDES THE PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED NASA DISPLAYS WILL ALSO FEATURE SPEAKERS FROM THE JET PROPULSION LIBRARY, LIVE MUSIC, UH, AND WILL ALSO BE FEATURED ON NASA'S LIVE STREAM FROM LOCATIONS ALL ALONG THE PATH OF THE TOTALITY.
ALSO, APL HAS TEAMED UP WITH CAP METRO TO PROVIDE FREE DIGITAL BUS PASSES FOR PEOPLE TO TRAVEL TO LIBRARY ECLIPSE WATCH PARTIES, UH, AND THE DEADLINE TO REQUEST A PASS IS THURSDAY, APRIL 4TH AT 4:00 PM.
LASTLY, UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY LOCATIONS WILL ALSO BE DISTRIBUTING SOLAR GLASSES TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, OUR DISTRIBUTION BEGINS THURSDAY, APRIL 4TH, WHILE SUPPLIES LAST, UH, ECLIPSE GLASSES ARE GONNA BE LIMITED TO TWO PER PERSON AND ARE AVAILABLE IN PERSON ONLY ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
WE'RE UNABLE TO FULFILL GROUP REQUESTS AND WE CANNOT RESERVE GLASSES.
UH, INFORMATION ABOUT AVAILABLE STOCK AND ANY LOCATIONS THAT HAVE RUN OUT OF GLASSES WILL BE UPDATED REGULARLY AND POSTED ON THE LIBRARY'S ECLIPSE WEBPAGE, WHICH ONCE AGAIN IS LIBRARY DOT AUSTIN TEXAS.GOV/ECLIPSE.
UH, IF A BRANCH DOES RUN OUT, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO REPLENISH OUR SUPPLIES.
HOWEVER, A LIMITED NUMBER OF GLASSES WILL STILL BE HELD IN RESERVE AT THE NINE LOCATIONS THAT ARE HOSTING ECLIPSE WATCH PARTIES.
UH, ON MONDAY, UM, WE ARE THRILLED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DO, UH, ALL THREE OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IN THE, UH, A PL MISSION, INSPIRING PEOPLE TO DISCOVER, LEARN, AND CREATE.
UH, AND WE HOPE THAT, UH, CENTRAL TEXANS HAVE, UH, AN
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EXCITING AND SAFE TIME, UH, EXPERIENCING THIS, UH, INCREDIBLE PHENOMENON.UH, AND UP NEXT, UH, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME JESSICA FROM THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
I'M JESSICA GIZA FROM THE AUSTIN PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT, UH, NATURE-BASED PROGRAMS MANAGER.
OKAY, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF GOOD NEWS ABOUT THE WEATHER.
UH, DURING ECLIPSES, THERE IS A, A THING CALLED CONVECTION THAT TYPICALLY BURNS OFF CLOUDS.
SO RIGHT NOW WE DO SEE CLOUDS, UH, AS WAS SAID EARLIER, BUT TYPICALLY THE CLOUDS BURN OFF, SO DON'T GET DISCOURAGED.
IF YOU GO OUT THERE AND IT'S CLOUDY MORNING, UH, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO SEE THE ECLIPSE.
AND EVEN IF THERE ARE CLOUDS, YOU WILL EXPERIENCE SOME THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE OF THE ECLIPSE, REGARDLESS OF THOSE CLOUDS, TEMPERATURES WILL DROP 10 TO 15 DEGREES AND IT WILL GET DARKER.
SO YOU CAN STILL HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.
YES, WE'RE ALL HOPING FOR SUNNY, BEAUTIFUL BLUE SKIES LIKE TODAY, BUT IT'S STILL GONNA HAPPEN.
AS YOU'VE HEARD BEFORE, UH, WE WANT YOU TO STAY IN PLACE.
DO NOT TRAVEL IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO.
SO IF YOU HAVE A GOOD SAFE PLACE WHERE YOU CAN VIEW THE SOUTH, UH, SOUTHEASTERN SKY AT ABOUT 60 DEGREES ABOVE YOU, THEN YOU DON'T NEED TO LEAVE WHERE YOU ARE ON THAT DAY.
IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO BE IN A SAFE LOCATION, PLEASE CONSIDER A LOCAL PARK.
UH, FIND A LOCAL PARK WHERE YOU CAN GO.
THIS, WE WANNA ENCOURAGE YOU TO RIDE YOUR BIKE, TAKE A WALK, HOP ON A POGO STICK, GET OVER TO ONE OF THOSE PARKS.
ALSO, WE WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT PART HAS IDENTIFIED SOME PARKS', VIEWING LOCATIONS.
YOU CAN LOOK ON THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT'S ECLIPSE WEBPAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THOSE LOCATIONS.
AND THANKS TO HAVING A WORLD CLASS RESEARCH UNIVERSITY HERE IN AUSTIN, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS HAS PROVIDED 12 TELESCOPES WITH SOLAR FILTERS.
THERE WILL BE ONE IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT ALONG WITH STAFF.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HAVE AN EXPERIENCE SEEING THE SUN AND THE ECLIPSE CLOSEUP.
THEY'VE ALSO PROVIDED, UH, HELP WITH ECLIPSE GLASSES AND THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT ALSO HAS SOME SECONDARY VIEWING, UH, BOOKMARKS THAT YOU GUYS CAN USE AND GET AT THE NATURE CENTER AND AT THE RECREATION CENTERS IN ADVANCE.
AND ON THE DAY OF, I ALSO WANNA SAY A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE HILL COUNTRY ALLIANCE, NIGHT SKY PROGRAM MANAGER FOR PROVIDING SPECIALIZED ECLIPSE TRAINING TO MANY OF OUR STAFF MEMBERS TO PROVIDE THEM, UH, EDUCATION ON THE ECLIPSE THAT THEY CAN SHARE WITH OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND SHOWED THEM HOW TO USE THE TELESCOPES AND THE SOLAR FILTERS ON THE DAY OF THE ECLIPSE.
UM, AND WE WANT YOU TO JUST REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE ECLIPSE IS OVER, YOUR LEARNING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE OVER.
THERE ARE GONNA BE ADDITIONAL PROGRAMS THAT WILL BE PROVIDED THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE HERE LOCALLY THAT WANT YOU TO GET EDUCATION ABOUT, ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR NIGHT SKY AND OUR SKY.
UM, AND WE HOPE THAT YOU'LL HELP KEEP OUR PARKS AND OUR CITY CLEAN.
UH, WE ARE PROVIDING ECLIPSE GLASSES, RECYCLING BINS AT ALL OF THE RECREATION CENTERS, THE SENIOR CENTERS, THE CULTURAL CENTERS, AND THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER, AND THE BRANCH LIBRARIES, THOSE RECYCLING BINS.
WHEN YOU PUT YOUR UNDAMAGED ECLIPSE GLASSES, THEY'LL BECOME PART OF THE ASTRONOMERS WITHOUT BORDERS PROGRAM, AND THEY WILL BE REUSED BY COMMUNITIES WHO HAVE LESS RESOURCES AT THE NEXT ECLIPSE.
BECAUSE ALTHOUGH ECLIPSE COMING HERE IN OUR TOWN IS RARE, IT HAPPENS ABOUT EVERY YEAR AND A HALF THERE'S AN ECLIPSE SOMEWHERE.
AND NOT ALL THE COMMUNITIES HAVE THE SAME RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'RE GONNA SHARE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE AND MAKE IT A MORE SUSTAINABLE EXPERIENCE.
UM, ALSO AS THE LIBRARIES MENTIONED, THE CITY OF, UH, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AT THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER IS HAVING MEMBERS FROM THE NASA'S JET PROPULSION LAB PROVIDING PROGRAMMING, UH, PROVIDING SPEAKERS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS, INCLUDING ECLIPSES ON OTHER PLANETS.
UM, AND THERE WILL BE A SCALE MODEL OF THE MARS ROVER THAT WILL BE ROAMING THE GROUNDS OF THE AUSTIN NATURE AND SCIENCE CENTER ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
UM, SO COME OUT AND VISIT US THERE AND ALSO MAYBE GET A CHANCE TO GO INTO OUR PLANETARIUM.
AND THE LAST THING IS, THEY MENTIONED THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE CELL SERVICE ISSUES.
SO I'M GONNA GIVE YOU THIS TIP THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR ECLIPSE EXPERIENCE.
SO YOU CAN USE HASHTAG TOTAL ECLIPSE ATT X, AND WE WILL BE COLLECTING THOSE COMMENTS.
OR YOU CAN SEND YOUR PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO TOTAL ECLIPSE@AUSTINTEXAS.GOV.
AND WE'LL TAKE THOSE COMMENTS AND PHOTOS AND WE'LL PUT 'EM TOGETHER FOR A TIME CAPSULE, UM, THAT
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WE'LL WE'LL PUT INTO PLACE NEXT YEAR, UH, IN APRIL.BUT DON'T SEND THOSE DURING THE ECLIPSE
YOU DON'T NEED TO SEND YOUR VIDEO, YOU DON'T NEED TO UPLOAD TO SOCIAL MEDIA.
THIS IS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY TO SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD NOT GET TO SEE OTHERWISE WITHOUT TRAVELING.
SO THE NEXT TOTAL ECLIPSE THAT'S HAPPENING IS IN 2026.
IT'S GONNA TOUCH THE TOP OF SPAIN.
IT'S GONNA GO THROUGH A TINY EASTERN EDGE OF ICELAND AND THE WESTERN SIDE OF GREENLAND.
SO THOSE FOLKS THAT HERE IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WANNA SEE THE NEXT TOTAL ECLIPSE AND BE IN THE PATH TO TOTALITY ARE GONNA HAVE TO GO TO ONE OF THOSE PLACES AND TRAVEL.
AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT WE'RE LUCKY HERE THAT ALMOST EVERYONE IN THIS CITY, NO MATTER WHERE THEY ARE, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR RESOURCES ARE, ARE GONNA HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THIS PHENOMENAL, THIS PHENOMENAL WONDER OF NATURE.
UM, SO GO OUTSIDE, EVEN IF IT'S CLOUDY, TAKE A CHANCE TO GO AND SEE THIS.
AND IF YOU CAN'T SEE THE SUN, UH, EXPERIENCE WHAT IT FEELS LIKE, LISTEN FOR THE ANIMALS AS THEY START TO THINK THAT IT'S NIGHT AND START TO LIKE THE CRICKETS ARE CHIRPING AND THE BIRDS ARE STARTING TO GO HOME.
TAKE YOUR PICTURES IF YOU MUST, WITH A SOLAR FILTER.
UPLOAD 'EM TO SOCIAL MEDIA LATER.
ALL RIGHT, I HOPE TO SEE ALL, ALL OUT AT SOME OF OUR PROGRAMS AND, UH, BE SAFE.
AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT IS HERE AS A RESOURCE TO ANSWER SOME OF THOSE QUESTIONS.
I'M BRAD WHEELIS WITH THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
I AM HERE TO REPEAT EVERYTHING YOU JUST HEARD,
UH, SO HOW LUCKY ARE WE TO EXPERIENCE SUCH A RARE EVENT HERE IN THE AUSTIN AREA? WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ALONE.
WE EXPECT A MILLION OR MORE PEOPLE TO VISIT THE STATE OF TEXAS TO SEE THE ECLIPSE, AND THAT'S GONNA MEAN A SUBSTANTIAL INCREASE IN TRAFFIC VOLUMES ON OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS.
FROM LAREDO TO PARIS, TEXAS HERE IN AUSTIN, I 35 S SH 71, US TWO 90, US 180 3, OUR MAJOR CORRIDORS COULD SEE GRIDLOCK.
AND BECAUSE THE HILL COUNTRY IS A PRIME SPOT FOR VIEWING, THEY COULD SEE STANDSTILL TRAFFIC AS WELL.
UH, AT TEX TOT, SAFETY IS ALWAYS OUR TOP PRIORITY.
OUR JOB IS TO KEEP THE ROADWAYS OPEN BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE ECLIPSE OPEN, HOWEVER, DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN FLOWING.
SO OUR STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS CENTER WILL BE UP AND RUNNING.
OUR LOCAL DISTRICT EOCS WILL ALSO BE OPEN DURING THIS EVENT.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WANT TO REMIND FOLKS TO DO IS, IS ENJOY THE ECLIPSE, BUT DO IT IN A SAFE MANNER.
SO OUR CREWS WILL BE OUT ON MONDAY MAKING SURE THEY CAN RESPOND TO ANY MAJOR INCIDENTS, EMPHASIS ON THE PATH OF TOTALITY.
SO THINGS THEY'LL BE LOOKING FOR IS STALLED VEHICLES IN THE LANES OF TRAFFIC.
THEY ALSO TRAFFIC SIGNAL ISSUES THAT WE MAY EXPERIENCE.
BE PREPARED TO SPEND SOME TIME AND TRAFFIC BECAUSE YOU WILL DO NOT STOP ON THE ROADWAY TO VIEW THE ECLIPSE.
DO NOT PARK ON THE SHOULDER AND STAY OFF THE RIGHT OF WAY TO AVOID DAMAGING OUR BEAUTIFUL WILDFLOWERS OR SPARKING A WILDFIRE DRIVE WITH YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON.
MAKE SURE THAT OTHER DRIVERS SEE YOU AND LOOK OUT FOR PEDESTRIANS WHO MAY BE PREOCCUPIED WITH ECLIPSE ACTIVITIES.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD AND NOT THE ECLIPSE.
AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE GOTTA SAY THIS, BUT DO NOT DRIVE WITH YOUR ECLIPSE GLASSES ON.
IT IS DANGEROUS AND YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING ANYWAY.
SO THAT'S OUR BIG ADVICE FINALLY, TO HELP PREVENT GRIDLOCK, ARRIVE EARLY, STAY PUT, AND LEAVE LATE.
NOW I WANNA INTRODUCE SAM HAYNES WITH AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
I'M SAM HAYNES WITH AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
AUSTIN BERGSTROM IS READY TO WELCOME TRAVELERS VISITING OUR REGION FOR THE ECLIPSE.
AND NOW WE'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT APRIL 8TH, THE DAY OF THE ECLIPSE.
BUT I WANNA CHAT A LITTLE BIT ABOUT APRIL 9TH.
THIS IS WHEN ALL OF THE VISITORS THAT ARE COMING TO OUR REGION INTO CENTRAL TEXAS TO SEE THE ECLIPSE WILL BE RETURNING HOME, AND MANY OF THEM WILL BE USING OUR AIRPORT.
WE'RE EXPECTING THAT DAY TO EXCEED LEVELS THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY SEE DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AND IN FACT, OUR RENTAL CAR OPERATORS HAVE LET US KNOW THAT THEY ARE 100% FULLY BOOKED FOR AVAILABLE RENTAL CARS ON APRIL 8TH.
THEY ARE FULLY BOOKED FOR RESERVATIONS,
[00:30:01]
EXCEEDING THAT OF THEIR 100% INVENTORY.SO MANY TRAVELERS ARE TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO RENT VEHICLES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN TO AUSTIN, AND THEN ON APRIL 9TH ARE RETURNING THOSE RENTAL VEHICLES TO FLY HOME.
SO IF YOU ARE FLYING OUT THE DAY AFTER THE ECLIPSE, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT YOU ARRIVE EARLY.
GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME AND PLAN AHEAD, ESPECIALLY IF YOU NEED TO RETURN A RENTAL VEHICLE.
IF YOU NEED TO CHECK YOUR LUGGAGE OR COMPLETE ANY OTHER ACTIVITIES PRIOR TO JOINING THE TSA SECURITY LINE.
WE TYPICALLY ADVISE TRAVELERS TO ARRIVE TO THE TERMINAL AT LEAST TWO AND A HALF HOURS PRIOR TO BOARDING FOR DOMESTIC FLIGHTS AND AT LEAST THREE HOURS EARLY FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS.
BUT IF YOU ARE RETURNING A RENTAL CAR OR YOU NEED EXTRA TIME, PLEASE GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO SAFELY AND COMFORTABLY MAKE IT THROUGH ALL OF THE NECESSARY ACTIVITIES BEFORE YOU MAKE IT TO YOUR GATE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, WHICH OVERSEES THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM AND OVERSEES OUR LOCAL AIRPORT AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER, HAS SHARED THAT PILOTS FLIGHT CREW AND PASSENGERS FOR BOTH COMMERCIAL AVIATION AND GENERAL AVIATION, WHICH ARE PRIVATE AIRCRAFT, SHOULD EXPECT DELAYS AT ABOUT 50 AIRPORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THIS DOES INCLUDE AUSTIN BERGSTROM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
TRAVELERS SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THEIR FLIGHT STATUS AND CONNECT DIRECTLY WITH THEIR AIRLINE FOR ANY FLIGHT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS.
OUR AUSTIN BERGSTROM DEPARTMENT OF AVIATION TEAMS HAVE BEEN COORDINATING WITH OUR PARTNERS ACROSS THE AIRPORT, AND WE STAND READY TO WELCOME TRAVELERS TO OUR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE PROACTIVELY ACTIVATING OUR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS CENTER AND OUR A US EVENT RESPONSE TEAMS WILL ENSURE THAT WE HAVE WELCOMING, FRIENDLY FACES, ALL HANDS ON DECK IN THE TERMINAL TO SUPPORT OUR CUSTOMERS AS THEY TRAVEL THROUGH OUR FACILITY.
IN CONCLUSION, TRAVELERS CAN VISIT FLY AUSTIN.COM FOR COMPREHENSIVE TIPS, TRICKS, AND AIRPORT MAPS.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO REINTRODUCE MAYOR WATSON TO CLOSE US OUT.
WELL, AS YOU CAN TELL, THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY AND WORK THAT'S GONE INTO HAVING US PREPARED.
UH, I WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT'S HERE, UH, ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA THAT ARE GONNA BE GETTING INFORMATION OUT THERE BECAUSE FRANKLY, WE CAN'T GET IT OUT THERE WITHOUT YOU.
AND WE WANT EVERYBODY TO HAVE A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY HERE AND DO IT IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE.
UH, WITH THAT SAID, UM, UNLESS JUDGE BROWN HAS SOMETHING ELSE TO SAY, I'LL OPEN IT UP AND SEE IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANY QUESTIONS.
WE HAVE, UH, EXPERTS HERE THAT DID NOT SPEAK, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, AND, UM, THAT, BUT YOU CAN ASK THEM QUESTIONS TOO AND WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE AN ANSWERS FOR YOU.
JUDGE, YOU WANT TO SAY ANYTHING ELSE UNTIL WE GET QUESTIONS? UH, NO FOR QUESTIONS.
ANYBODY GOT QUESTIONS? YOU SAY TIMEFRAME.
WELL, COMMON SENSE PLAYS A ROLE IN THAT, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE THE NUMBER ONE MESSAGE YOU EVERYBODY OUGHT TO HAVE IS THAT WE'RE EXPECTING A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE.
AND, AND SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO A PARK TO WHICH WE ENCOURAGE, WE HOPE PEOPLE DO AS, AS YOU CAN TELL, UH, BOTH AT THE COUNTY AND AT THE CITY, UH, PEOPLE ARE, UH, WE WE'RE, WE'RE WANTING PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND ENJOY THIS.
THAT'S, THAT'S A PART OF THE NEAT THING THAT'S HAPPENING IN AUSTIN AND IN TRAVIS COUNTY.
BUT KNOW THAT THERE, YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD THE IDEA
UH, IN FACT, WE'RE ENCOURAGING EVERYBODY TO HAVE THE IDEA, BUT WHAT THAT MAY MEAN IS IF YOU WANTED TO BE THERE, YOU KNOW, AT A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME YOU MIGHT WANT TO TRY TO GET THERE AN HOUR EARLIER.
AND, AND LET ME ASK IF ANYBODY'S GOT ANYTHING MORE SPECIFIC THAN THAT.
YOU WANT, CAN I MAKE SUGGESTION? PLEASE, COME ON.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A SUGGESTION THAT, UH, PARK STAFF IS GONNA BE BEING PLACED AT 11:00 AM UM, BETWEEN 11:00 AM AND 12:00 PM WITH THOSE TELESCOPES, BECAUSE IT DOES START RIGHT AROUND 12:00 PM SO YOU WANNA GET THERE BEFORE THAT? YES.
THE TOTALITY PART, WHICH EVERYBODY IS REALLY EXCITED FOR, DOESN'T HAPPEN UNTIL A LITTLE BIT AFTER, UH, ONE.
UM, BUT YOU WANNA GET IN PLACE AND YOU WANNA STAY THERE.
THE GOOD THING IS, IS THAT ECLIPSES ONLY HAPPEN ON NEW MOONS, WHICH MEANS WE WON'T HAVE A MOON IN THE NIGHT SKY.
SO IF YOU WANNA TAKE YOUR PICNIC OR YOU WANNA TAKE SOMETHING AND STAY THERE, YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME GOOD STAR, UH, WATCHING ABILITY IN THOSE PARKS.
UM, AFTERWARDS ALSO, UH, JUST FROM 2017, UH, ASTRONOMERS WHO WERE TRAVELING FROM HERE, HERE IN AUSTIN, AND THEY WERE IN WYOMING, UH, THEY WERE TA TALKING ABOUT GOING FROM ONE CITY IN WYOMING TO ANOTHER THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE ABOUT TWO HOURS.
IT WAS ABOUT 200 MILES, IT TOOK THEM 10 HOURS.
SO IT'S A REMINDER THAT, AND I'M SORRY, WHAT STATE WAS THAT IN? WYOMING.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE HEARD OF IT.
UM, THIS BEING THE 10TH LARGEST CITY IN THE NATION AND
[00:35:01]
WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING, I THINK WE CAN REALLY EXPECT FOR PEOPLE TO BE THERE, UH, AND TRAFFIC TO BE ABSOLUTELY NUTS, BUT ALSO THINK ABOUT USING CAPITAL METRO'S, UH, FREE RIDES BECAUSE THEY ARE OFFERING FREE RIDES, UH, TO LOCATIONS, UH, THROUGHOUT THE CITY IF YOU PLAN THEM.AND OF COURSE, YOU CAN ALWAYS WALK TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD PARK OR STAY IN YOUR BACKYARD.
AND I THINK THE THING THAT I'VE HEARD THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST ECLIPSE SOMEWHERE, MAYBE IT WAS THAT ONE SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, IS THAT PEOPLE ARRIVE, IT TAKES, YOU KNOW, OVER THREE DAYS, THEY GET HERE ON SATURDAY, THEY GET HERE ON SUNDAY, MAYBE THEY GET TO THE PLACE THEY'RE GOING ON MONDAY, BUT EVERYBODY LEAVES AT THE SAME TIME.
SO IT'S, IF YOU CAN HANG OUT WHEREVER IT IS THAT YOU'RE WATCHING THE ECLIPSE FOR, PLAN ON DOING IT FOR A COUPLE HOURS, MAYBE LET TRAFFIC DIE DOWN IF IT'S GOING TO, UM, IF YOU'RE CAMPING SOMEWHERE, MAYBE CAMP AN EXTRA NIGHT.
UH, THAT IS WHAT I'VE HEARD IS THE, THE BIGGEST STRAIN ON THE TRAFFIC PART IS LIKE, IS RIGHT AFTER.
SO TRY TO MAKE PLANS TO WHERE MAYBE YOU'RE NOT PART OF THAT, OF THAT TRAFFIC PROBLEM.
SO HOURS, HOUR TO HOURS EARLY AND PLAN ON HOURS LEAVING LATE.
OH, GO HERE AND THEN WE'LL GO OVER HERE.
START ABOUT, UH, TELE SERVICE MIGHT BE INTERRUPTED, OBVIOUSLY, WHERE ANY OTHER SERVICES THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE HAVING, UH, CHALLENGES, LIKE, I DUNNO, GAS STATIONS HAVING ENOUGH GAS.
I, I THINK A WISE THING WOULD BE TO, YOU KNOW, FILL UP YOUR TANK AHEAD OF TIME, UH, GET, YOU KNOW, GROCERIES AHEAD OF TIME.
WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY PROBLEMS THERE, BUT IT'S ALWAYS A SMART THING TO DO TO HAVE A FULL TANK OF GAS BEFORE YOU HEAD OUT TO WATCH THE ECLIPSE.
THE, THE BOTTOM LINE TO IT IS, I'LL USE THE WORDS AGAIN, COMMON SENSE.
WHAT WE'RE EXPRESSING HERE IS A LOT OF FOLKS ARE GOING TO BE IN TOWN AND, UM, AND THAT MEANS A LOT OF CARS WILL BE IN TOWN, THEY'LL BE USING GAS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
SO, UM, JUST PREPARE IN, IN ADVANCE.
BUT, BUT OTHERWISE, CELL SERVICE, GASOLINE, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING, UH, YOU KNOW, ANY REAL PROBLEMS. IT'S JUST A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WISHING TO TAKE PART IN A PRETTY TREMENDOUS EVENT.
I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY WITH PEOPLE LIVING THE CARS AND STUFF, THEY'RE ECLIPSED TAPERS, WATCHERS, THEY COME IN AND THEN THEY'RE PREPARED TO FOLLOW THE SUNSHINE WHEREVER IT LEAKS.
AND THEY'LL GO HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM AUSTIN IF THEY THINK THEY HAVE A BETTER CHANCE AT SUNSHINE.
THESE KIND OF, YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT'S GONNA BE A BIG ISSUE WITH AUSTIN AND THE WEATHER FORECAST AND JUST THAT MOBILITY AND, AND STRAIN THAT, THAT COULD HAVE ON TRAFFIC HERE.
BUT YEAH, I THINK, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE IT REALLY BECOMES UNKNOWN.
WE'RE MAKING PLANS FOR PEOPLE TO BE KIND OF IN PLACE AND WE'RE SUGGESTING THAT, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, YEAH, IF THE WEATHER DOES SOMETHING WEIRD, WE COULD EXPECT MORE TRAFFIC, RIGHT? A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON THAT PATTERN THAT DAY.
IF, IF IT TURNS OUT THAT NORTH TEXAS HAS GOT THE BEST VIEWING, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL LITERALLY MOVE THAT FAR OF A DISTANCE THAT THAT'S KIND OF THE UNKNOWN.
UM, AS YOU KIND OF KNOW AROUND HERE, I MEAN, LITERALLY THERE COULD BE, YOU KNOW, THAT MORNING OR THAT AFTERNOON SPOTS OF OPENNESS, RIGHT? WHERE YOU MAY ONLY BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DRIVE 70 OR 80 MILES, BUT HOW YOU STAY AHEAD OF THAT, I MEAN, WEATHER CHANGES ALL THE TIME, CLOUDS CHANGE ALL THE TIME TOO.
SO IT THAT, THAT SEEMS LIKE A VERY TALL TASK TO ASK MOST PEOPLE, RIGHT.
TO BECOME MOBILE AND TO TRY TO FIND A, A PLACE TO, TO, TO VIEW THE ECLIPSE.
SO THE EXPERTS THAT DO THIS ALL THE TIME, MAYBE THEY HAVE A WAY OF DOING IT VERY EASILY, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, MOST OF THE CITIZENS, THE SAFE THING IS TO FIND A PLACE WHERE YOU'RE GONNA BE, GO TO THAT PLACE.
AND THEN, YEAH, WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME GOOD LUCK HERE IN, IN TRYING TO GET SOME GOOD ECLIPSE VIEWING WITH THE CLOUD COVER.
HOW ABOUT ONE MORE QUESTION? YEAH, NO.
THANK YOU GUYS AND APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND WE WILL, UH, SEE Y'ALL ON APRIL 8TH OR NINTH.