Sheriff Derrick Palmer

CHEROKEE COUNTY, N.C.- Cherokee County Sheriff Derrick Palmer offers local churches some advice for how to proceed during the upcoming total solar eclipse event on Aug 21, 2017. Churches will need to discuss and decide for themselves how they will prepare for and weather the actual event, but he does offer some thoughts. Churches generally have large, open parking lots that people looking to get off the roads will gravitate towards so that they can park and safely view the eclipse. He states that churches and businesses with large lots should leave entrances open to help alleviate traffic and congestion, because many times people gain entrance despite chains or other blocking devices. With people comes the need to use the facilities, so churches will need to decide whether they will open their doors to the public to use restrooms and get a respite from the heat and sun. He advises that if churches do allow public access to their facilities, they should only open certain designated areas and close off the rest of the buildings. Sheriff Palmer also notes that large events like the eclipse will leave the county with “eclipse refugees,” that is, people who have become stranded through various circumstances. Churches and businesses, like homes, should be watched over to prevent the possibility of break-ins and theft if left unattended.

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