The eclipse: manage it as an emergency to avoid it

On August 12, thousands of people will look to the sky to observe the total solar eclipse. And our goal is precisely that: to have all eyes on the sky. When everything is going well, the work of security and emergency services is almost unseen. Because our job is precisely to anticipate the things that no one wants to happen.For many months, the Government has been working on the security plan for the solar eclipse on August 12th. An extraordinary phenomenon requires extraordinary measures to enjoy it safely and without surprises.The special visibility conditions of the eclipse — at dusk and just before sunset —, the date — in mid-summer and at the point of maximum human pressure — and the unique geography of our Archipelago — with four islands, forests, mountains, cliffs and the sea — make this event an exciting management challenge for the Government and, especially, for the Directorate General of Emergencies and Internal Affairs.For this reason, from the very beginning we have planned the management of the entire operation as if it were a major emergency, precisely so that it does not become an emergency. However spectacular, historic, and unrepeatable the eclipse may be, it will never be more important to us than the safety of people and the protection of our natural environment.With this objective, we have designed a specific action protocol, ECLIPBAL, which complements the Territorial Civil Protection Plan of the Balearic Islands (PLATERBAL), activated in the pre-emergency phase since July 9.These plans are what allow us to manage and coordinate a device in which a multitude of administrations and security and emergency forces and bodies participate: the Government, the Government Delegation of Spain in the Balearic Islands, the island councils, the town councils, the General Directorate of Traffic, the Civil Guard, the National Police, the Local Police, firefighters, forest firefighters, environmental agents, maritime and port authorities, and municipal Civil Protection groups.The collaboration of all these institutions is as admirable as it is essential. Thanks to this joint effort, we have been advancing for months, from the collection of necessary scientific information to the design of ECLIPBAL, including the identification of risk and observation zones.There is no improvisation. Every decision responds exclusively to technical safety and civil protection criteria. Although there are thousands of places from which to watch the eclipse, the Government proposes 26 official observation areas distributed among the four islands, selected not only for their visibility, but also for their accessibility, capacity, and safety conditions.It is not a whim either to protect the Serra de Tramuntana, other environmentally sensitive areas and the posidonia meadows. The restrictions planned for about twenty roads are an essential preventive measure to minimize the risk of fire and other emergencies, protect our natural heritage, and guarantee the intervention of emergency services, if necessary. The objective is to avoid a massive influx of vehicles that could pose a risk. However, access will be permitted for residents and people who can prove the necessity.The plan is designed for all the people who will be on our islands that day, without distinctions or priorities. Yes, I want to take advantage of these lines to ask for your collaboration. I am convinced that Balearic society will once again act with the responsibility and good sense that it has always shown in situations of risk, be it storms, floods, or fires.We are facing a historic day. Consult the website eclipsisegur.caib.es, plan in advance where to see it (and, if possible, from home, the better), get approved glasses and enjoy a unique phenomenon.We want it to be an unforgettable experience because of what happens in the sky and not because of what happens on Earth. If we all remember the emotion of looking up on August 12th, it will mean that together we will have done our job well.