Delco Seeks National Guard Help For Pope Visit

Delaware County has requested 280 National Guard personnel the weekend of Pope Francis’ visit to Philadelphia.

That’s part of a “Final Prep Plan” for the Pope’s visit announced on the county’s website Wednesday. In addition, the county’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be activated on the Friday before the visit. While Francis will not be visiting Delaware County itself, there are many reasons the county and its residents will be affected.

Also included in the plan, according to the announcement, are “first aid stations, porta-potties, mass quantities of drinking water, traffic cones, lighting and message boards, emergency response, road closures, communications and countless other contingencies.”

“This is a major world event that will shine a spotlight on our region,” Delaware County Council Chairman Mario J. Civera Jr., said in a statement. “It is also a National Special Security Event (NSSE), which means the United States Secret Service is involved along with our state and local law enforcement.”

Montgomery County sought National Guard help last month.

For more, see Patch’s Complete Guide to the Pope’s Visit.