ILLINOIS -- Officials from all over the Midwest are bracing for a major event later this month.
We're less than two weeks away from the Great American Eclipse taking place over North America.
Southern Illinois has been named a prime viewing area and officials are taking notice.
With so many visitors expected, Police and dispatchers are expecting at least double the amount of emergency calls on the day of the eclipse.
That concern is prompting many cities to double, and even triple, their dispatch staff to ensure that they're ready for anything.
For anyone traveling south for the event, officials are urging you to leave early and to make sure to stop in designated areas for the duration of the Eclipse.