Get ready for a busy week in San Francisco as Fleet Week begins Sunday, and city leaders are taking extra precautions to keep everyone safe.
As many as 1 million people will head to the city over the nine-day event to get an up close look at the U.S. military.
It's free to the public and includes activities such as touring Navy and Coast Guard ships and watching the incredible acrobatic flying of the Blue Angels.
San Francisco police have been asking all who attend do to their part to stay safe. Those who plan to attend Fleet Week events can sign up for safety alerts from the city.
As San Francisco prepares for Fleet Week, the city's Department of Emergency Management has tips for residents to keep themselves safe next week:
- Register for emergency text alerts related to Fleet Week by texting FleetWeekSF to 888-777. For all other City emergency alerts, text your zip code to 888-777 to receive emergency notifications impacting your neighborhood.
- If you see something, say something: call 911 or notify a police officer if there is one nearby.
- Allow extra travel time and use public transit to get your destination, due to anticipated crowds and traffic.
- Park Smart, if you must drive. Large public events often attract people looking to commit crimes of opportunity. Don’t’ leave valuables visible in parked cars. Keep an eye on your smart phones and cameras.
- Make a reunification plan. Sometimes kids and adults get separated from their families or groups. Pick a meeting spot and make sure everyone in their group knows where to go to “meet up” if you get separated.
Those who plan on being on the water can use these tips to stay safe:
- It is a requirement to have enough life jackets or personal flotation devices on a boat for every person onboard – remember, a life jacket is like a seatbelt, it cannot save you if you are not wearing one.
- Have a working VHF marine radio to stay informed and to call for help in case of an emergency. Hand-held models are available for kayakers, paddle boarders and kite surfers. Cell phones are also an effective secondary means of communication, but are not as reliable out on the water.
- Anyone planning to go out on the water with a vessel for hire should ask to see the operator’s U.S. Coast Guard issued Merchant Mariner Credential and proof of inspection. Without them, the vessel may not have proper training and safety equipment.
- Keep the vessel stable by properly balancing the weight. Having more weight lower in a vessel also increases stability, especially in the high winds and choppy waters that are common in Northern California.
For more information about all the events during Fleet Week, go to the official website.
