OKLAHOMA CITY – At the request of McCurtain County Emergency Management, the Oklahoma National Guard plans to have members of the 63rd Civil Support Team available to assist local government agencies during the time surrounding the April 8, 2024 eclipse.  

Members of the 63rd CST, in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety and Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management, will provide local first responders with additional HAZMAT response capabilities. 

“McCurtain County Emergency Management requested our support because they expect up to 100,000 additional people visiting their communities to watch the eclipse,” said Lt. Col. Jabonn Flurry, 63rd CST commander. “This influx of visitors has the potential to overtax local resources and thanks to the training and experience our Guardsmen have working alongside local agencies all across Oklahoma, the CST is uniquely qualified to support our fellow Oklahomans.” 

In the event of a HAZMAT emergency like an industrial fire that requires specialized training, the 63rd CST’s resources will respond, allowing local emergency responders to continue their assistance to citizens and the expected increase of visitors. 

Members of the 63rd CST receive more than 650 hours of HAZMAT and high-tech training from agencies such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, and the Environmental Protection Agency. 

This mission stands as the most recent example of the many ways the Oklahoma National Guard supports our fellow Oklahomans. The 63rd CST, along with many other Oklahoma National Guard units, has a long history of supporting local and state agencies including flood response, wildfires, winter weather and tornado recovery. 

For information about how the State of Oklahoma is preparing to keep Oklahomans and visitors to our state safe during the solar eclipse, visit  www.oklahoma.gov/oem/eclipse. 


Watch this video from May 23, 2023 that explains how the 63rd Civil Support Team integrates their skills with local first responders to keep Oklahomans safe: