The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed it will once again track Santa’s Christmas journey this year, marking its 68th anniversary of tracking Santa’s whereabouts as he and his reindeer travel around the globe on Dec. 24.
The command, part of the Department of Defense (DoD), typically tracks airplanes, missiles, and space launches, using its satellites equipped with infrared sensors. But on Dec. 24, NORAD can track Santa’s sleigh by detecting Rudolph’s bright red nose, which gives off an infrared signature similar to a missile launch.
“I can assure you that we will ensure that Santa gets wherever he needs to go safely and securely,” Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the DoD’s press secretary, told reporters during a Dec. 14 press conference. “I’m sure he’ll be on time and in place for Christmas.”
Kids can track Santa on Christmas Eve through the NORAD Tracks Santa website, the official NORAD Tracks Santa app, or by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723).
The Santa tracking effort is made possible entirely by volunteers, with more than 1,250 Canadian and American uniformed personnel and DoD civilians volunteering their time to answer the thousands of phone calls that come in from around the world.
The effort is also made possible by industry partners, such as Verizon. This year marks the 21st year that Verizon has partnered with NORAD to provide the toll-free hotline.
“This is a special time of year for children all across the world, and we’re proud to say that for over two decades, Verizon has supported the NORAD Tracks Santa Initiative,” Maggie Hallbach, senior vice president of Public Sector at Verizon Business, said in a Dec. 19 press release. “It’s an opportunity to collaborate with a longstanding partner in NORAD, while also bringing joy and tapping into the imaginations of children around the world.”
With the hotline receiving over 130,000 calls last year, Verizon said it gets a little help from its Interactive Voice Response System (IVR). This automated call management system provides extra support to answer children’s questions if call center volunteers are busy with other callers.
“Twenty-one years ago, the Verizon Consulting Services team played a big role in designing and implementing the NORAD Tracks Santa IVR system,” said Tara Sunderraj, vice president for Verizon Consulting Services. “Over the years, the IVR system has evolved, with our team incorporating smart tools that ensure every child has a chance to track Santa and hear from an elf.”
As always, the NORAD website reminds trackers that Santa only visits the houses of children who are sleeping. If children are still awake when Santa arrives, he will move on to other houses and return once they are asleep.
