Kaufman County Judge Jakie Allen has issued a Disaster Declaration in preparation for the total solar eclipse that will occur on April 8, 2024. This declaration will begin on April 5, 2024 and continue until April 9,2024. This is being done due to the projected and expected number of visitors to Kaufman County to view this once in a lifetime event.
County Judge Allen has also sent a letter to Governor Abbott requesting him to issue a State Disaster Declaration in order to make more state assets available should they be needed.
Kaufman County is expecting visitors to reach approximately 200,000 people, which will essentially double the county population. The cities of Kaufman and Terrell are on the centerline of the eclipse and will draw the most viewers to those areas. Chambers of Commerce have fielded requests from a number of states as well as countries around the world. This dramatic increase in population, even for a short time, will greatly impact our Public Safety agencies, taxing their ability to respond to calls. Law enforcement, Fire, EMS, Emergency Management, and many other agencies have been meeting for several months to prepare for this event. The single greatest concern is the traffic and potential gridlock as the eclipse ends.
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