LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — We're now exactly one week away from the total solar eclipse and that means in a few days our state will welcome an influx of visitors who are looking for the best spot to take it in.
Unfortunately, the wave of tourists could put a strain on our cell service but that's why first responders are prepared and have more than one way to communicate.
"There is a possibility that there may be an overtaxing of our communication and our cell phone towers," said John Woodward, MEMS Operations Manager.
However, there are a few alternate ways that MEMS can communicate.
"The main radio system that we use is a WinRadio. The majority of emergency services across the state use a WinRadios. If it in fact does fail, we have the ability to move to our primary backup system, which is our UHF radio frequencies," Woodward described.
If that fails, Woodward said there's a third backup through a statewide system.
"We can even use ham radio operators if needed," he added.
There's also a similar situation happening over at the Maumelle Police Department.
If their portable radios and cell phones don't work, Captain Dustin Ivey said they can still communicate through their computers.
"Worst case scenario or different scenario is the fire department in the city. It has VHF radios that communicate direct that we can use as well," he explained.
He said if cell service goes down and you're unable to call the police, then texting or emailing could be another option.
"We have extra staffing in our dispatch center from Friday, all the way through Monday. We'll have beefed that up a little bit. So there's plenty of people to answer your calls," Ivey said.
MEMS also plans to spread out over Central Arkansas and have emergency offices set up to help with the influx of people.
"The main staff between police, fire, EMS, and public works can all communicate with each other in case there is a particular incident that does happen," Woodward said.
All in all, Ivey and Woodward said they feel good about the eclipse and are just hoping for clear skies. If traffic is an issue, Maumelle police and fire have side-by-sides and electronic bikes to get places easier.
You can learn more about those resources by clicking here.