Houston’s public safety agencies are preparing for one of the busiest days of the year as multiple high-profile events converge across the city on the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n
Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the city’s final FIFA World Cup match, the Freedom Over Texas festival, an Astros game at Daikin Park and Houston’s largest Independence Day fireworks show ever.<\/p>\n
Behind the scenes, hundreds of law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency managers and first responders will be working around the clock to keep those events safe.<\/p>\n
“We’re all here to work,” said Brian Mason, director of Houston’s Office of Emergency Management. “There will be a lot of movement and events going on all around the region on July 4th.”<\/p>\n
Mason said his team will spend the day inside Houston TranStar’s World Cup Area Command Center, where officials monitor traffic, weather, public safety and any emerging threats in real time.<\/p>\n
“All hands on deck,” Mason said when asked how prepared the city is for a major emergency. “We’re as prepared as we can possibly be.”<\/p>\n
Traffic is expected to be one of the biggest challenges.<\/p>\n
“We’re going to have tens of thousands of people in a small footprint,” Mason said.<\/p>\n
While the Houston Police Department would not discuss specific security plans, KHOU 11 Investigates found the city estimated needing nearly $49 million to cover more than 500,000 hours of overtime for police officers and firefighters during the World Cup tournament.<\/p>\n
Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen said the number of large events happening simultaneously has made coordination among law enforcement agencies across the region even more critical.<\/p>\n
“It is a challenge because law enforcement has been very stretched because of all the activities going on,” Rosen said.<\/p>\n
Despite the crowds, emergency management officials say they have not seen a significant increase in crime or calls for service during the tournament.<\/p>\n
“There are things people will obviously see, a marked police car or a uniformed officer,” Rosen said. “There’s also a lot going on behind the scenes that the everyday person would not see.”<\/p>\n
How to receive emergency alerts<\/p>\n
Officials encourage anyone attending today’s events to sign up for AlertHouston emergency notifications.<\/p>\n
To receive real-time text alerts about weather, traffic and public safety issues, text ALERTHOUSTON (one word) to 888777.<\/p>\n