As Philadelphia prepares for a busy Fourth of July weekend, security will be visible across the city — from Center City to the Stadium Complex — and on the Delaware River. The U.S. Coast Guard is increasing patrols as well as monitoring security and safety zones along the river as the city pr epares for a busy stretch that includes FIFA events and America 250 celebrations. “This one’s ramped up a little bit, especially with FIFA being in town,” Lt. Kyle Graeber said. Graeber said the Coast Guard is responsible for protecting numerous security and safety zones during the events. “Safety zones are really to protect the public from what’s in that zone, like fireworks, for example,” Graeber said. “A fireworks barge could potentially be dangerous to anybody that gets too close. So we need to keep the general public away.” The extreme heat is also affecting operations. Graeber said crews working around the clock are adjusting work-rest schedules to account for the high temperatures. “We got boat crews out there. They’re wearing body armor. They’re getting hot,” Graeber said. The Coast Guard is also reminding boaters not to operate under the influence and is urging the public to report suspicious activity. If a Coast Guard boat approaches you on the water, Lt. Graeber says you should comply with their instructions. “If you have one of these boats approach you, just make sure you comply with what they’re telling you to do,” Graeber said. “They might be trying to protect you from something you don’t necessarily see in the water.” The river patrols are part of what Philadelphia officials say is one of the city’s largest security operations in years. “We will have one of the largest deployments we have since the Pope,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said. More than 35 agencies, including federal partners, are participating in the security effort. From the streets to the shoreline, officials say the focus throughout the holiday weekend is keeping the public safe. This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC Philadelphia. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC Philadelphia journalist edited the article for publication. ...read more read less