Coast Guard in New Orleans ensure visitors enjoy 'safe and secure' Super Bowl
Aboard the United States Coast Guard's Cutter Sawfish, a crew of 10 worked diligently on Wednesday to secure the New Orleans waterfront ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl.
It's part of the Department of Homeland Security's all-encompassing endeavor to secure the big game on Feb. 9 between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs.
The USCGC Sawfish is one of the many vessels the Coast Guard is deploying to help secure the Mississippi River as an influx of tourists descends on the Louisiana city for game day.
"While the waterfront is our primary mission here, we have a security zone that we're enforcing," Capt. Gregory A. Callaghan, the sector commander of USCG New Orleans, told ABC News from aboard the Sawfish.
He said that a primary goal is to "make sure that the folks on the waterfront can enjoy a safe and secure experience," but added: "We do have a number of other specialized teams that are in the area assisting our Department of Homeland Security and security efforts."
Those other security apparatus include K-9s to help with bomb detection and countering drone technology.
This weekend, cruise ships will be docking in New Orleans and letting people explore the city during the Super Bowl, according to Callaghan. But at the same time, maritime commerce up and down the river must continue, he said.
Callaghan explained that "making sure we are facilitating the commerce that moves up and down the critical Mississippi River" was also part of the assignment.
"The Coast Guard looks at this as a as really a critical mission," he said.
"And with the number of cruise ships arriving, and the number of folks that want to enjoy the waterfront here in New Orleans, we want to make sure that we're doing our part to make sure that is a safe and secure time for them," he continued.
Nearly a month after a terrorist drove a truck down Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told reporters on Monday that there were "no specific credible threats" to the Super Bowl.
However, Callaghan explained that the goal is to ensure the Coast Guard can "react to any threats that presents itself from the water side to anyone who's trying to enjoy a good time here in New Orleans on the waterfront."
He said they've worked "tirelessly" with their federal, state and local partners to make sure they have the right assets in place to do that.
