Santa Cruz Carnival Activates 'Small City' Security Plan
Santa Cruz de Tenerife activates a comprehensive security plan for its Carnival, integrating a central 'Carnival Hospital' with advanced technology like cameras and drones to ensure public safety and rapid emergency responses.
Organizing large events in cities requires advanced security planning. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is addressing this challenge with a comprehensive system for its Carnival. Starting tonight, the city will activate a plan that focuses on coordinating resources and using advanced technology to ensure safety and quick emergency responses during the street celebrations.
The plan, introduced yesterday by Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez, Security Councillor Gladis de León, and Festivities Councillor Javier Caraballero, is built around a central facility called the 'Carnival Hospital'. This large facility, nearly 5,000 square meters with about thirty separate units, is located in General Gutiérrez Mellado square, behind the Presidency of the Government building. Its purpose is to bring together healthcare, mental health support, security coordination, child protection resources, and staff from the Violet Point (a service for victims of gender violence). This allows for a comprehensive response to any incident.
The security strategy is also strengthened by a significant investment in technology. There are 28 security cameras placed at important spots, with five of them monitored around the clock. Drones will provide aerial surveillance, operated jointly by the Local and National Police, to help manage large crowds. Images from these systems will be processed in a secure room within the Advanced Command Post, allowing police officers to be deployed immediately if needed. This centralized system, described as a 'small city' for emergency management, will coordinate all situations that might come up during the festivities. The mayor has praised this model, suggesting it could be a benchmark for other Spanish cities that host big events.