ATLANTA — It’s going to be all hands-on deck Thursday night to keep people safe during the fireworks show at Centennial Olympic Park.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Aaron Diamant talked with first responders as they prepped for the tens of thousands of people expected to attend.
Atlanta and Georgia World Congress Center police have gotten pretty good at protecting big crowds -- and while the operation will be a lot smaller than what the city saw for Super Bowl LIII, the strategies are the same.
Dozens of law enforcement leaders and first responders were inside the Atlanta Police Department’s Joint Operations Center throughout Thursday.
APD, FBI, GBI, GDOT and MARTA are among the agencies partnering, collecting and sharing intelligence in real time and executing security plans developed over the past several years.
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“One of the things that we’ve added in recent years is adding sand -- a dump truck -- to the route to make sure that no vehicles breach the actual race route,” Atlanta Police Department’s Jaruis Daugherty said.
When the AJC Peachtree Road Race wrapped up Thursday afternoon, there was a quick break in the action before agencies shifted their focus to fireworks displays at Centennial Olympic Park and Old Fourth Ward Park.
“We have had plenty of practice over the years,” Atlanta Fire Rescue Department sector Chief Royce Turner said.
Turner said his emergency medical services crews will be out in force.
“Because of the heat, the heat index, and the humidity we just want to make sure everybody stays hydrated,” Turner said. “Our biggest challenge is keeping our own personnel hydrated, because it’s constant movement. They’re not going to get the opportunity to get those breaks.”
The gates at Centennial Olympic park open at 7 p.m., and as always, APD is reminding those headed there to call 911 if they see something that doesn't look right.
Cox Media Group
