The 2024 total solar eclipse on April 8 is expected to bring a lot of buzz to the city of Oswego, as well as SUNY Oswego’s campus.
With a high number of people expected to view the eclipse from Oswego’s many vantage points, local law enforcement as well as University Police (UP) and the Student Association Volunteer Ambulance Corporation (SAVAC) are all preparing to ensure the safety of students, citizens of Oswego and those who came to view the eclipse.
“We’ve been preparing for about four months now, it started way back in 2023, before the new year we knew this event was coming up,” Scott Swayze, the chief of the SUNY Oswego University Police department, said. “We were notified first by The State of New York, notifying all SUNYs in the path of totality to be aware that they might get an influx [of people].”
Swayze also said that UP will also be up-staffing for the eclipse to assist in parking lots across campus and to keep an even flow of traffic.
UP will be partnering with other law enforcement agencies from the city level to the state level to make sure all roadways on and off campus are not being held up.
“One of our main concerns outside of our campus is Route 104,” Swayze said. “The sheriff’s department here in Oswego and also the New York State Police will have extra details focusing on that corridor.”
On campus, Swayze says that there will be officers at the different campus access points helping to get incoming cars safely to a parking lot.
SAVAC, the SUNY Oswego campus’ student-run ambulance corps will be patrolling the campus in case they are called upon.
“We are going to be driving around, we are going to be looking for the biggest crowds,” John Oliveri, the assistant chief of SAVAC, said. “We are going to stage somewhere where we can have quick access to the roads to get out as well as keep an eye on the crowds of people. It is going to be a very dynamic situation, we are going to play it by ear.”
Katherine Gilligan, the chief of operations at SAVAC said that the day-shift for SAVAC will begin at noon on the day of the eclipse. Like Swayze, Gilligan is also attempting to gather a large group of SAVAC volunteers to be on-call during the event.
“We are trying to see if we have the personnel to not only staff the ambulance but staff a fly-car that will also act as a primary response vehicle for any emergencies that might happen on campus” Gilligan said.
With all of the preparations for the eclipse Swayze said there will not be a set limit on the amount of people that will be allowed onto the campus on the day of the eclipse.
“We pride ourselves on being a very open and welcoming campus,” Swayze said. “We are a state university so we do open ourselves up to the public so that individuals can come and enjoy the campus, we encourage them to do so.
Swayze also mentioned that UP will not be issuing any parking tickets on the day of the eclipse to allow for more accessibility for outside viewers.
The influx of visitors to SUNY Oswego and surrounding areas in the path of totality is expected to reach the thousands, with major cities such as Rochester and Syracuse mobilizing their emergency response agencies into a better position for potential incidents. SUNY Oswego has canceled classes in light of the upcoming solar eclipse.
The eclipse’s path of totality will begin at the southwestern corner of New York at Jamestown and span from Buffalo to Rochester, Syracuse, and Watertown before crossing the northeastern cities of Lake Placid and Plattsburgh, according to Eclipse2024.org.
Photo via: SUNY Oswego
