Hospital ready for eclipse

The Great American Eclipse will arrive on Monday, April 8, and although Harrison will not be in the path of totality, other parts of North Arkansas Regional Medical Center's (NARMC) service area will. The eclipse is expected to draw large numbers of visitors, and the hospital has made plans for it, said Sammie Cribbs, the hospital's president and CEO, in the administrator's report to the Board of Directors held Tuesday afternoon, March 26.
"Latest projections seem to be that there will be more traffic, but not as many staying in Harrison as initially thought," Cribbs said. "Of course, we have no way to know what the impact will be, but through our disaster management resources we are making some advanced preparations to ensure the safety of our patients and our staff.
A pre-eclipse event is scheduled for Saturday, April 6. The NARMC Foundation is sponsoring a 5K run that day, billed as the "Total Eclipse of the Run" Glow Run.

Before the run kicks off, NARMC will host a "SolarFest" starting at 5:30 p.m. in the hospital parking lot. There will be food trucks, inflatables and entertainment, culminating in the 5K at 7:45 p.m.
Run participants will receive a medal, race t-shirt, solar eclipse glasses, and more. There will also be individual awards for the 5K participants in several divisions.
Preparations have been county-wide. The hospital has also joined the local Broadband Committee as part of a statewide initiative to expand internet service in underserved areas.