ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Albuquerque this weekend as the annual Balloon Fiesta kicks off.
With all those people and hot air balloons, officials are aware of some major safety concerns. This year there’s a big one – drones.
Event officials, along with dozens of law enforcement agencies, briefed the media Thursday on the safety concerns including hectic traffic, first aid and drones.
Drones used to take pictures of the balloons have become a big concern. Balloon Fiesta officials worry about safety, and they believe the drones could be a hazard to balloons, so they are taking proactive measures to keep drones out of the park.
They’ve prohibited any drones from flying within four miles of the park. They say that’s to prevent any accidental crashes or balloon failures in the sky.
“We’ve got our temporary flight restrictions here so our space is controlled, and we’ve got 550 balloons in the air.,” said event director Don Edwards. “It’s challenging enough to fly 550 balloons, and we just don’t want an unwanted visitor in the neighborhood.”
There will also be 20 state and federal agencies on the ground and in the air patrolling the event.
Other new security measures have also been put in place. There will be a new bike medic team patrolling the parking lots. There will also be six emergency units on the field. In years past, there’s only been four.
This year there will be a booth where parents can put ID bands on their children just in case they get lost.
Story and Video: http://krqe.com
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