the inflation for now is a go. that is happening right now on the upper westside where the big balloons are inflated 30 blocks north of us. the national weather service has wind speeds of 18 to 24 miles per hour and gusts up to 39. the city regulation prohibits giant balloons if gusts exceed 34. we are right in that wheel house. in 1997 winds knocked the cat in the hat balloon into a light post and severely injured a young woman who was in a coma. the wind meters will be watching the skies and the floats to make sure those 60 foot long floats with 90 handlers don t get loose. we won t know the status of whether they will fly until
thursday or wind gusts top 34 miles per hour. macy s saying regarding the giant balloons, a determination is made on their inclusion based and not forecasts. so it s not helpful to discuss it now. it was a topic of discussion and concern for new york city police. we ve had several meetings. today we had a meeting on it. we have instruments that give us the cross-wind measurements. we ve done a lot of training on this. reporter: both city and parade officials have learned from past wind-related balloon accidents. in 1997, a woman spent more than three weeks in a coma after the cat in the hat balloon struck a light pole which hit her. two more were hurt in a similar accident involves the m & m s balloon. and a police sergeant is assigned to each balloon.
died out by tomorrow morning, forecast calling for 20 miles per hour with gusts of 36 miles per hour. new york city prohibits the balloons from flying if the winds are about 23 miles per hour and a gust of 34 miles per hour. a rule put into place after a cat in the hat balloon injured a woman spectator back in 1997. then in 2005, it happened again. two women were injured after a 518-pound m&m balloon had a light pole as it entered times square, sending a light fixture toppling down into the crowd. and that s part of the thanksgiving evening ritual, the plan is still as scheduled. but in a statement earlier, the decision on whether the giant balloons will join the lineup is made based upon real-time weather data on
on real time weather data parade morning and not forecasts. so it s not helpful to discuss it now. it was a topic of discussion and concern for new york city police. so we ve had several meetings, i have a meeting today on it. we have instruments that give us the cross wind measurements. we ve done a lot of training on this. reporter: both city and parade officials have learned from past wind related balloon accidents in that 1997, a woman spent horn three weeks in a coma after the cat in a hat balloon struck a light pole which hit her. in 2005, two more were hurt in a similar accident involving the m and m s balloon. now improved weather monitoring dweess are along the parade route and police sergeant assigned to each balloon. balloons like snoopy and woodstock and an updated sponge bob are ready to fly. but even about they don t, this family will not be disappointed.
raud officials learn from past wind related balloon accidents in 1997 a woman spent more than three weeks in a coma after the cat in the hat balloon struck a light pole which hit her. in 005, two more were hurt in a similar accident involving the m&m s balloon. now improved weather monitoring devices are along the parade route, and a police sergeant asu assigned to each balloon. protocols are in place and balloons like snoopy and woodstock and updated spongebob are ready to fly. even if they don t, the finley family will not be disappointed. the balloons aren t about thanksgiving. it s about fellowship and family and just being thankful. reporter: and carol, we re told that some of the smaller balloons still might make it into the parade, even if some of the larger balloons end up becoming grounded. a final decision will not be made by parade organizers until tomorrow morning. until then, as you say, fungers