Boston, April 12, 2014, — As the City of Boston prepares for millions of visitors over the next week culminating in the 118th Boston Marathon, city officials today released detailed public safety plans for Boston’s approximately 2 miles of marathon route. Teams of leaders in government and the private sector have worked for months to develop these plans to ensure a safe and successful series of events.
Mayor Walsh threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Boston Red Sox home opener at Fenway Park, on the field with former Mayor Menino (from City of Boston Facebook page).
A Boston Marathon Tribute will be held at the Hynes Convention Center onTuesday, April 15 to honor those affected by last year’s events, including those who lost lives, survivors, and first responders. The 118th running of the Boston Marathon will take place on Monday, April 21.
Public Safety
- Boston Police Department (BPD) will have an increased presence of uniformed and undercover officers along the marathon route.
- Over 100 cameras have been installed along the Boston portion of the Marathon route, and upwards of 50 observation points will be set up around the finish line area in the Back Bay to monitor the crowd.
- Spectators are encouraged to leave large items such as backpacks and strollers at home. These items are not banned; however, individuals may be subject to search.
- Text “Boston” to 69050 to report suspicious activity and call 9-1-1 in an emergency situation. Follow @bostonpolice for race safety updates.
Emergency Medical Services
- 13 ambulances will be located along the Boston portion of the race route to support the 24 ambulances providing service coverage throughout Boston.
- 140 Boston EMS personnel will be located along the Boston portion of the race route on bicycles, utility vehicles, foot patrol, and in medical tents, in addition to the crews covering the rest of the City.
- There will be four medical tents on the Boston portion of the route. The capacity of each tent has been increased this year to accommodate the increased number of runners. The largest medical tent near the finish line can accommodate up to 220 individuals with extra space to deploy additional cots. An overflow tent will be on standby.
- Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) will have a small medical station on the Boston Common with a 30-bed ambulance bus ready to deploy.
Emergency Communications
- Boston EMS will have personnel assigned to a coordination center at the State Emergency Operation Center in Framingham and the City of Boston Emergency Operations Center (EOC) monitoring the race.
- BPHC will have increased staffing at the Dispatch Operations Center and Central Medical Emergency Dispatch (CMED) Center where ambulance to hospital communication throughout metropolitan Boston is coordinated.
- The Stephen M. Lawlor Medical Intelligence Center will be activated to coordinate activities among hospitals and assist with family reunification.
- The City of Boston’s EOC will be available to provide situational awareness, resource support, and coordination for the response and recovery in the event of an emergency, and will be staffed with senior representatives from City and state agencies, and non-profit partners like the Red Cross and Salvation Army.
Street Closures & Traffic Advisories