Despite Frigid Cold, 'Everything Is On' For First Night

(Lana Jones/WBZ NewsRadio 1030)

BOSTON (WBZ-AM) -- At a press conference Friday afternoon, city officials reassured the public that safety precautions would be in place during New Year's Eve First Night celebrations--and that events were still in place despite the expected cold.

"The only thing I can guarantee is the ice sculptures will not melt," Mayor Marty Walsh told reporters. "As of now, everything is on."

He said officials were monitoring weather conditions, and that there was still a possibility that some events could be moved or cancelled.

"If you come to town, be prepared," Walsh said. "As we get closer to New Year's Eve, we're going to make decisions on some of the events. It's too early to cancel them now--if a gulf stream comes in and changes the weather forecast where it's not the weather that we're anticipating, we don't want to be too early on it, so we're gonna play this thing by ear."

He urged First Night-goers to dress in layers and be prepared as the temperature dips.

"I don't remember any other time that we've had three consecutive days like this, this cold, and anticipating three or four more days of it," Walsh said.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said there was "No credible threat" to the city, but that a number of safety and security precautions were being taken--many of which would be visible to the public on New Year's Eve.

"Unfortunately, as you'll see, a lot of trucks, whether they be public work trucks or whatnot, out around Copley Square, shutting down Copley Square to any motorist who might try to cause some harm to a crowd," Evans said. "You're going to see some observation officers up on rooftops, both along the waterfront and Copley Square. Unfortunately, that's a new reality after what happened in Las Vegas."

He also said there would be bomb assets and a number of uniformed officers around the city.

As for another type of event possibly affected by the cold--annual Polar Plunges where people jump in ice-cold water--Mayor Walsh couldn't say whether or not they would take place.

"If they wanna jump in the water, they can go in the water," he said. "I have no idea what they're thinking."

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Lana Jones reports


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