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SAFETY – POLICE
NOPD provided strong security coverage during the 2017 Carnival
Season, from Feb. 17 to March 1. Every officer was on duty and working, with a
majority of officers either putting in 12-hour shifts in a police district or a
minimum of 8-hour shifts along the parade route. During the 12-day period, NOPD
officers put in a total of 54,150 manpower hours in 2017 compared to 53,894
manpower hours in 2016.
NOPD Superintendent Michael Harrison said, "Our entire department came together and gave 110% to
keep our neighbors, our guests and our streets safe during this year’s Mardi
Gras season. I’m extraordinarily proud of their hard work and their commitment,
and grateful for the assistance we received from our local, state and federal
partners. With their help, we were able to respond quickly and effectively to
the incidents that did arise – and to celebrate another successful
Carnival season.”
NOPD was complemented by 165 Louisiana State Police Troopers,
along with members of partner law enforcement agencies including the Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI), U.S. Marshals, St. Bernard Sheriff, St. John the
Baptist Sheriff, Kenner Police Department, Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office,
Tulane University Police, LA Probation and Parole, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office.
In total, the NOPD made 373 arrests citywide compared to 334
during the 2016 Mardi Gras season. In the NOPD Eighth District alone, which
includes the French Quarter, Marigny and Central Business District, officers
responded to 250 calls of service and made 289 arrests this year, compared to
275 arrests during the Mardi Gras 2016 season. In addition, solid police work
and proactive patrolling led police to taking a total of 39 guns off the
street.
SAFETY – FIRE & EMS
The New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) responded to 53 fires, 864
medical and 754 other calls for service during the Mardi Gras season, including
7 working structure fires. The NOFD also inspected 34 parades, which included:
846 traditional floats, 175 truck floats and 309 parade flambeauxs. The
department also inspected 90 mobile food vendors, and 30 tents for compliance.
NOFD members worked alongside Sanitation Department personnel, providing
traffic safety during post-parade debris removal. NOFD also created a barricade
group to manage the positioning and removal of barricades before and after
parades.
New Orleans EMS responded to over 3,200 emergency service calls,
resulting in a call every 5 minutes. The New Orleans Health Department (NOHD)
Medical Reserve Corps and American Red Cross operated First Aid stations for
ten days throughout Mardi Gras and provided foot patrols during parades. In
total, NOHD assisted 550 people and provided care to 118 people during Mardi
Gras, 28 of which were transported by EMS.
SANITATION
For the 2017 Mardi Gras season, the Department of Sanitation
utilized over 100 pieces of equipment and more than 600 City workers, temporary
workers, and contractors to clean up the streets and neutral grounds following
parades each day. All of these laborers worked tremendously hard to return the
city streets to normalcy. In general, all routes were cleaned within two hours
of the conclusion of a parade.
For the fourth consecutive year, the City used the Mardi Gras
clean-up process as an opportunity to provide employment for persons who have
been classified as chronically hard to employ. In 2014, the City allocated 50
of its clean-up jobs to these groups each parade night. Due
to the continued success of this partnership over the years, in 2017, temporary
employment opportunities were provided to approximately 150 persons from the
JOB1 program in conjunction with Total Community Action (TCA) and 50 persons
from Black Men of Labor (BMOL). In addition to jobs provided during Carnival
season, participants received training on workforce development.
Scott Hutcheson, the City’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, said, “The City’s Sanitation Department and its partners continue
to meet and exceed expectations regarding the speed in which the routes are cleaned
as well as the level of cleanliness achieved. We continue to be very excited
about of our partnership with JOB1 and NOLA FOR LIFE. The dedication to the
people of New Orleans is commendable, and we sincerely thank them for what they
do.”
Residents may bring Mardi Gras beads to the City’s Recycling Drop
Off Center (2829 Elysian Fields Ave.) on the Second Saturday of each month. The
next event will be on March 11, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 1p.m. There are also
several local non-profits that accept Mardi Gras beads for recycling.
OPERATIONS
The City placed 650 portable toilets along the parade routes for
Mardi Gras this year, and they are scheduled to be removed by Friday March 3,
2017. The City also issued over 380 permits for reviewing stands, concessions
and parking. All City-constructed viewing stands will be fully disassembled by
Friday, March 10, 2017.
To keep residents and visitors fully informed this Mardi Gras
season, the City utilized an Everbridge text alert campaign where mobile phone
users had the opportunity to opt in for up-to-the minute alerts sent directly
to their mobile devices regarding road closures, parking information, parade
schedules, public transit schedules, inclement weather, and critical incidents
during Mardi Gras and All-Star Weekend.
Additionally, the City utilized a Mardi Gras Information and
Updates website at nola.gov/mardigras.
The site provided residents and visitors with safety regulations, enforcement
policies, permitting information, and helpful suggestions, including
interactive parade maps. The website received over 22,000 views in the 30 days
before Fat Tuesday, up from 9,000 in 2016.
PARKING ENFORCEMENT
In addition to permanent “No Parking” signs posted along parade
routes, the City installed approximately 3,000 temporary “No Parking” signs.
The City monitored parking very closely so that First Responders and the public
had clear access to the public right of way and to facilitate the clearing of
debris by Sanitation crews following parades.
This year, the City issued 29,561 citations, booted 397 vehicles
and towed 729 vehicles on parade days. In 2016, the City issued 31,522
citations, booted 301 vehicles and towed 541 vehicles on parade days.
AIRPORT
Over the Mardi Gras holiday, the Louis Armstrong New Orleans
International Airport saw an eight-year high number of passengers traveling
through the airport. Over an eight-day period beginning Friday, February 24
through Friday, March 3, 2017, the airport expects to have over 148,000
passengers depart, a 4 percent increase over 2016 and a 46.5 percent increase
over 2010. Over 21,000 passengers were scheduled to depart New Orleans on Ash
Wednesday, March 1st, 2017, as the Mardi Gras season comes to a close.
District E Councilman James Gray said,
“While we’re partying with our families during the Mardi Gras season, the
dedicated men and women who work for this city and state put in long hours to
keep us safe, manage traffic, provide emergency services, keep the streets
clean and debris-free, and work killer hours to ensure all of our city
operations run smoothly. We couldn’t put on the world’s greatest free party
without these unsung heroes. We owe them our appreciation and gratitude.”
Mark C. Romig, President and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism
Marketing Corporation said, “We are deeply grateful
to the tens of thousands of tourism industry employees who worked tirelessly to
deliver the best in service and hospitality to both visitors from around the
globe and residents who came to New Orleans to enjoy the most iconic of New
Orleans festivals. We are also greatly appreciative of the police, emergency
medical personnel and members of the fire department for their efforts to
ensure a safe and secure celebration.”
Stephen Perry, President and CEO of New Orleans Convention and
Visitors Bureau said, "The city's hotels were
packed for Mardi Gras with great weather and a joyous spirit combining for a
superb weekend. We broadcast to the nation's great talk shows reaching over 8
million potential new customers from our balconies on St Charles Ave.,
celebrating Zulu and Rex and trumpeting our unique reaffirmation of life,
family and neighborhood and community organizations and spirit.”
Proteus Krewe Captain said, “On Lundi
Gras evening, the members of the Krewe of Proteus were blessed with great
weather and brought their parade along the Uptown route. The crowds were
some of the largest in recent memory and were as enthusiastic and receptive as
ever. Our floats were pulled on the same wagon wheels that have been used
since the inception of our parade over 136 years ago. The riders threw
beads, sovereigns, cups, footballs, blinking tridents and many other items to
parade goers. A special throw was one that commemorated the
50th anniversary of the sovereign. Proteus cherishes its long standing
relationship with the City of New Orleans and has already begun planning and
looking forward to February 12, 2018 when it takes to the streets again.”
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