Emergency officials say they want this year’s Calgary Stampede to go off without a hitch as a safe event for everyone. First responders say they have planned for the crowds, crime and weather; which can all be unpredictable. As with previous years, there will be metal detectors and bag searches by security teams at entrance gates. “If you wouldn’t bring it on an airplane, don’t bring it to Stampede,” said Kerrie Blizard, director of public safety and environment with the Calgary Stampede. Drones New this year: Calgary police will be flying drones over the crowds. The drones are a carry-over from the G7 Summit that took place in Kananaskis Country in June “We will be flying the drones to monitor overhead just like we would with the helicopter,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Campbell, Stampede incident commander, Calgary Police Service. “During Stampede, (we) actually turn the Stampede Grounds into a ninth district, including an incident commander, our own dispatch, our own ops centre, and staff it with members from across the service,” Campbell added. Personal drones cannot be flown downtown during Stampede. Violators could be fined up to $3,000. Safety set-up Anti-ramming barricades -- also known as bollards --have been installed to deter vehicles from driving onto the grounds. Extreme weather is also a top concern for Stampede officials. “We have a number of weather monitoring systems including lightning detection, wind detection, (and) air quality monitoring,” said Blizard. The huge crowds that gather at Stampede can make July weather feel even hotter than it already is. Blizard is reminding attendees to keep hydrated, and cool down indoors if need be. The Calgary Emergency Management Agency is prepared for extreme weather, and advises Stampede visitors to keep smart devices charged -- either to call for help or to get up to date emergency alerts. An estimated 1.3 million people are expected over the course of the 10 days.
