Cities Work to Secure New Year's Celebrations
Tuesday, December 30, 2003
WASHINGTON — As cities and states across the country prepare to ring in the New Year while the country is on high alert, some homeland security actions are more visible than others.
Noting that governors, mayors and police chiefs, as well as federal officials, have boosted personnel and security measures during the heightened alert, Homeland Security Secretary Tom (search) Ridge told Fox News on Tuesday "there are visible signs of increased security but ... there are invisible increases in security as well, on the ground and in the air."
Along with a few other large New Year's celebrations around the country, military helicopters will be patrolling over the Rose Parade, Times Square and the Las Vegas Strip.
As revelers prepare for New Year's Eve, the nation's terrorism alert is at its second-highest level, though officials said there were no specific threats against the holiday gatherings and urged people to go ahead with their plans.
In Las Vegas, where 300,000 revelers are expected on the Strip, officials announced that armed military helicopters will fly overhead.
The airspace over the Strip will be restricted New Year's Eve, Fox News has confirmed.
The no-fly zone will be implemented on New Year's Eve from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. and will involve a 10-nautical-mile radius from the center of McCarran International Airport. It will not affect commercial airliners or medical, police or military flights. Private planes and tour helicopters will not be allowed to fly in the restricted air space.
Las Vegas has been mentioned as a possible terrorist target, but officials say there is no specific threat regarding the popular city or the state of Nevada.
A spokesman for Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn told Fox News that with 350,000 people partying during the night, it makes sense to have some extra precautions.
Jerry Bussell, Guinn's adviser on homeland security, said military helicopters will also be used in New York City, Los Angeles, Washington and other cities with big outdoor gatherings.
"These aircraft are equipped to dismantle or disrupt any kind of ground attack, and also other aircraft that would attempt to fly into our airspace," said Bill Young, the sheriff in Las Vegas.
Sharpshooters will be posted on hotel-casino roofs, and streets will be blocked off with concrete barricades, Young said. Sightseeing helicopters will be prevented from flying over the Las Vegas Strip from 8 p.m. New Year's Eve to 3 a.m.
In Pasadena, where thousands gather along the 5-mile Rose Parade route and attend the Rose Bowl football game on New Year's Day, video surveillance cameras will watch the spectators lining the streets.
Flights over the Rose Bowl will be limited to police and military aircraft, and everyone working in the stadium, from hot-dog vendors to TV camera crews, will be required to wear photo IDs.
"We decided not to live our lives in fear, and do what we want to do," said Janet Powles, 60, of Rapid City, S.D., as she watched volunteers apply flower petals to Rose Parade floats.
In Las Vegas, however, terror concerns apparently affected hotel bookings. Deutsche Bank analyst Marc Falcone said New Year's Eve cancellations jumped in the past week and were running twice as high as last year.
In New York City, the New Year's Eve preparations included flight restrictions and military helicopter patrols over Times Square.
Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that there will be more officers on duty this year than last, and that they will focus more heavily on hotels, landmarks and ferry terminals. He would not disclose numbers.
Organizers said they expect this year's crowd to be larger than last year's gathering of 750,000.
Manhole covers are being sealed shut in Times Square, and mailboxes, trash cans and newspaper boxes are being removed. Plainclothes officers will mingle with the crowds, and elite counterterror teams will have equipment to detect chemical, biological or radiological contamination.
New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey warned revelers headed to New York City to expect long delays at bridges and tunnels -- and to prepare for random stops and searches.
Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city was well-protected.
"Sadly, terrorism is something that we have to live with," he said. "Leave the worrying to the professionals."
Republican Rep. Christopher Shays, however, said people ought to avoid places like Times Square, calling it irresponsible for officials to make people think they don't need to take precautions.
"Secretary Ridge says just do what you normally do," Shays said. "If normally you go to Times Square, I wouldn't do what you normally do. I wouldn't go into places when you're packed and where if there was panic, a lot of injuries would take place."
In cities such as Columbus, Ohio, authorities urged people to be watchful.
"Because of the code orange, we're asking people to be extra alert and asking anyone who sees anything odd to talk to an officer," said police Lt. Karl Barth. "There will be a lot of officers around."
In New Orleans, security officials implemented a new game plan for the Sugar Bowl, where Oklahoma and Louisiana State University will play for college football's Bowl Championship Series title game on Sunday.
Superdome parking garages will be closed and a fence will be put up around the dome. Some streets will be closed.
Fox News' Mike Emanuel and The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
