How a small town in Nevada prepared for the worst

RACHEL, Nev. – They prepared for 30,000.

But the number of visitors who descended on this extraterrestrial highway town 150 miles from Las Vegas to "storm" Zone 51 peaked at 3,000, allowing authorities on Saturday to start cutting back on their resources.

"We had planned for 30,000 with unexpected contingencies," said Eric Holt, Lincoln County Emergency Officer. "Nothing less than that was acceptable."

In the end, the storm was more like a September shower.

The mid-night meme that erupted into a viral space show in this distant Nevada city was both a challenge for law enforcement and county chiefs, with many lessons learned and an opportunity for researchers from other worlds they thought to become the next Burning Man or Woodstock.

No extraterrestrials appeared. No flying saucer radius illuminated the desert sky. But for those who came forward to open a new chapter of the extraterrestrial saga, being here was enough.

"In fifty years," said Stacey Villines, a resident of Pahrump, "we can say we were here.

Faced with the unknown

Tensions were high the first night of Storm Area 51's activities in Rachel, where a hundred people visited the back door of the ultra-secret military compound in the middle of the night.

But by the time the sun was rising, only one man had been arrested – for urinating in public.

On Friday night, when the temperatures in the desert dropped to 30 degrees, the scene outside Area 51 was calm with minimal activity. Cold weather intervened as a deterrent to unexpected crimes.

"It definitely stopped their party and their pleasure," said Holt, the emergency officer. "It was an ally for us."

"Storm Zone 51": The event attracts only 100 people the first night – a man arrested for urinating in public

Meanwhile, an amalgam of festival campers and tourists who stopped to have a glimpse of the mysterious rally remained "neat" while Alienstock's live music was etched into the night.

As the festival's third day approached Saturday, authorities began sending first responders home.

"We plan for the unknown, we plan something where we did not know how many people were coming, what was their intention," said Holt. "We were ready to deal with a large influx of people. Obviously, that did not happen. "

Until Saturday, six people had been arrested – all but one for committing a property violation. Road crashes included two incidents involving a vehicle against a cow and a turnaround that sent a man to the hospital.

Over the next few weeks, authorities are waiting for people to continue to come to Rachel to visit the gates of the military complex. The city – following Alienstock and Storm Area 51 – has in many ways become a tourist attraction.

"Open your eyes"

Lincoln County President Varlin Higbee, a fifth-generation Nevadan still wearing the cowboy hat, has called Alienstock a success.

"We managed that without losing a life, with the exception of a cow," Higbee said Saturday. "We are on the hump – unless it gets crazy tonight."

For Higbee, the challenges of preparing strangers for a viral event that invaded a small town gave leaders an important lesson: a "revelation."

"We live in quite isolated and protected communities and societies, and suddenly the door to the world opens up to you and millions of people are likely to come – it's panic. Well, now we know we do not need to panic. Whatever happens, we can deal with it. "

Boredom and belonging

When Matty Roberts, a student in California, created the Facebook event "Storm Area 51 – They can not stop us all," he was bored.

He hardly knew that his joke would translate into a cure for boredom.

That's precisely why Hazel Dianna, 22, and her friend Hunter Riley, 20, drove from Las Vegas.

"We got bored and we live only three hours away," Dianna said.

"Yes," said Riley, "we're not like those crazy people."

Near them, two visitors dressed as captured extraterrestrials danced. Another group of extraterrestrial ribbed deputies overseeing Area 51.

Some have recorded videos on their mobile phones to post them on social networks. Others have filmed with heavy cameras – documentaries on hand to capture this strange moment.

But all were there for the same reason: to be part of something.

"Whatever happens, it will never be the same again," said Robert Hauser, a 72-year-old extraterrestrial junky from Salt Lake City, who visited Rachel with his 36-year-old son, David. , the two men carrying tin. to gild hats.

"We wanted to be part of the group."