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On Wednesday, San Juan’s Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo unveiled the transportation, sanitation/beautification, health, and safety logistics plan for the 55th iteration of the cherished San Sebastián Street Festival.
This Festival is set to occur from next Thursday, January 16, through Sunday, January 19, and will incorporate collaboration among numerous municipal, commonwealth, and federal entities to ensure the safety and welfare of all participants.
“The San Sebastián Street Festival embodies the culture and heritage of our community,” the mayor stated. “Our foremost obligation is to create a safe and well-organized experience for the thousands visiting the island, while also supporting the economic and tourism growth of Old San Juan.”
Juan Jackson Rodríguez, the commissioner of the San Juan Municipal Police, mentioned that the operational framework will comprise 1,350 officers, which includes 550 municipal police personnel, 400 private security guards, and 400 officers from the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Furthermore, 327 municipal agents will be armed with body cameras to improve oversight and management during the occasion.
“Our objective is to guarantee the safety of all participants through a comprehensive operation that consists of aerial, maritime, and terrestrial surveillance,” Jackson Rodríguez commented. “This year, we will install 25 camera towers with 360-degree coverage, powered by solar energy, alongside the 198 conventional cameras already positioned, totaling 375 cameras in Old San Juan.”
Surveillance towers will be strategically located, and a mobile monitoring unit will be established at Plaza San José. These tools, coupled with call box systems and drones, will allow for swift responses to any incidents, the police commissioner added.
The security initiative will also feature surveillance cameras equipped with artificial intelligence capable of identifying individuals, items, and specific features such as packages, clothing colors, and garment types.
The K9 Unit will deploy 10 dogs trained to detect weapons, drugs, and explosives, while the maritime unit will monitor the waters surrounding the island using two boats, two jet skis, and one inflatable boat.
To enhance security measures, the Municipality of San Juan has recently procured a crane for $141,977.00, which will improve mobility and aid in the removal of vehicles from the narrow streets of Old San Juan.
Jackson Rodríguez stressed that “collaborating with state and federal bodies, including the FBI and the Coast Guard, fortifies our rapid response strategy, allowing us to tackle any situation as swiftly as possible.”
Carlos Acevedo, the head of the Municipal Office for Emergency Management (OMME in Spanish), announced the activation of an Emergency Operations Center at the Old Casino of Puerto Rico, operational throughout the four days of celebration. This center will unite personnel from various municipal and state agencies to jointly address any emergencies.
OMME will position 10 ambulances at key spots, along with rapid response and maritime rescue units. Emergency stations will be set up at the San Juan Museum, the Tourist Information Center (behind the Tapia Theater), San José Street at the intersection of Fortaleza Street, and the National Guard facilities in Puerta de Tierra, where medical staff will offer first aid and cardiac monitoring services.
