A video has been produced by the Gillespie County Eclipse Task Force, a gathering of representatives from the City of Fredericksburg, Gillespie County and various local institutions and business, to provide resources and information regarding preparations for the April 8 total eclipse.

The task force held a meeting at the Gillespie County AgriLife Extension Office on Wednesday, Feb. 14, to discuss updates and ongoing plans for the eclipse, which is expected to bring an influx of nearly 100,000 visitors to the area, according to Justin Calhoun, Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Fredericksburg.

The Public Service Announcement video features Gillespie County Judge Daniel Jones and Fredericksburg Mayor Jeryl Hoover presenting safety and resource information for both residents and visitors.

“I think the judge and the mayor did a very good job of just doing a high level overview of all things about the eclipse, not only for the locals, but for the tourists,” Calhoun said. “And how they can be better prepared for the actual event.”

The PSA video was also made to help manage the large number of requests made to both Calhoun and Jennifer Krupa, Special Events Coordinator for the city, to speak at area events and institutions regarding the eclipse.

Both Krupa and Calhoun are hoping residents and visitors will post the video through websites and social media to help share the information.

“It’s a pretty quick 10-minute overview of all things eclipse that people can watch and get some ideas on things they may not have thought of,” Calhoun said. “And we would just encourage anyone to share it so that it gets distributed appropriately.”

The PSA video can be found on YouTube.

Mesh trash bags

Trash bags will be provided free of charge for eclipse viewers to self-manage trash. The list of locations where the trash bags will be available is still being finalized but will include Natural Grocers, H-E-B, Walmart, Lady Bird Johnson Municipal Park, Marktplatz and Fredericksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Medical air support

The Fredericksburg Office of Emergency Management and Methodist Hospital | Hill Country are working together to secure air medical assets for the eclipse event, according to Calhoun.

Calhoun pointed out the presence of a medical helicopter could not be guaranteed due to factors such as weather or competing demands requiring helicopter support.

Viewing locations

Texas Hill Country Wineries Association provided a list of approximately 40 area wineries that are planning events during the eclipse. This list can be found at the City of Fredericksburg’s eclipse website.

Enchanted Rock State Natural Area will begin taking day pass reservations on March 11, according to the Feb. 14 meeting agenda. Enchanted Rock is expecting to host up to 3,000 people in the park and will provide 250 car passes to be sold on the day of the eclipse.

A final meeting of the Eclipse Task Force is scheduled for March 19 at 1:30 p.m. at the South Fire/EMS Station.