The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team recently completed a deployment in support of the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) during the city’s annual Mardi Gras celebrations.
To help enhance situational awareness for first responders during Mardi Gras, the NOPD requested the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team provide UAS overwatch support during the busiest week of festivities. The team conducted more than 140 flights, totalling over 45 hours in the air, to assist NOPD in achieving its mission of keeping the festivities safe.
UAS overwatch missions assist public safety agencies with threat assessment and real-time decision making while helping reduce risk to personnel and increasing efficiency of operations.
“We’re honored to be asked to support New Orleans first responders during a large-scale event like Mardi Gras,” said Chris Sanders, a senior manager who leads the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team’s UAS program. “This is the first time UAS is being used on a large scale during Mardi Gras, and to be asked for by name speaks to how much our public safety partners trust us and how Verizon Frontline remains on the cutting edge when it comes to leveraging technology to support our nation’s first responders.”
“Mardi Gras is one of the largest events the NOPD manages each year, and ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors is our top priority,” said Officer Reese Harper, NOPD director of communications. “Utilizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems during this year’s festivities provided our officers with enhanced situational awareness, helping us monitor crowds, respond more effectively to potential concerns, and keep the celebration safe for everyone. We are always exploring ways to strengthen public safety through innovation and strategic resources.”
Held annually, the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans date back to the 16th century and the city’s origins. The multi-day celebration consists of parades and carnival festivities, where millions of people attend. Mardi Gras also generates over $1 billion for the economy in New Orleans.
The mission of the NOPD is to provide professional police services to the public in order to maintain order and protect life and property. In order to accomplish this mission, the NOPD is committed to the philosophy of Community Oriented Policing as a means to inform organizational decisions and prioritize crime fighting and quality of life initiatives by engaging each neighborhood and community organization in collaborative problem-solving partnerships.
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team provides on-demand, emergency assistance during crisis situations to government agencies and emergency responders on a 24/7 basis at no cost to the supported agencies. Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team members set up portable cell sites, Wi-Fi hotspots, charging stations and other Verizon Frontline devices and solutions that enable communications and/or improve network performance.
