Santa’s travels on Christmas Eve can still be tracked this year thanks to a joint effort between the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the Eastern Air Defense Sector located in Rome.

“We are delighted to support NORAD’s Santa Claus tracking operations,” Colonel Paul M. Bishop, commander of EADS, said in a statement. “I can assure everyone that EADS will do everything in its power to help Santa Claus in his crucial mission.

EADS is part of the Continental US NORAD Region-1st Air Force, and is responsible for the air defense of the eastern United States

Several ways to travel in the eyes

There are several ways to track Santa’s travels on Christmas Eve this year.

NORAD’s Track of Santa website, www.noradsanta.org, features Santa’s Village at the North Pole, a holiday countdown, games, a movie theater, holiday music, a online store and more. The website is available in eight languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Chinese.

The official NORAD Tracks Santa app is also available in Apple App and Google Play stores, so parents and kids can count the days until Santa launches on their smartphones and tables.

Tracking opportunities are also offered via social media on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram, as well as on partner platforms Bing, Amazon Alexa and OnStar.

Starting at 4 a.m. EST Christmas Eve – Friday, December 24 – website visitors can see updates as Santa prepares for his flight. Then at 6 a.m. EST, kids and parents can call to inquire about Santa Claus by dialing the toll-free number 1-877-Hi-NORAD (1-877-446-6723) where they will either speak to an operator. live phone call or hear a recorded update.

Due to COVID concerns, NORAD Tracks Santa’s operations center will have fewer telephone operators, so callers who are unable to reach a volunteer will hear a regularly updated recording showing the current location. of Santa Claus. Anytime on Christmas Eve, Amazon Alexa users can request the location of Santa Claus through the NORAD Tracks Santa Skill for Amazon Alexa, and OnStar subscribers can press the OnStar button in their vehicles to locate Santa. Santa Claus trackers can also use the Bing search engine to find out the location of Santa Claus.

The tradition started in 1955

Following Santa has been a tradition since 1955, when a newspaper ad informed children that they could call Santa directly – only the contact number was incorrectly printed.

Instead of reaching Santa, the phone called the on-duty crew commander, US Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, at the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center, NORAD’s predecessor.

Shoup soon realized that a mistake had been made and assured the child that he was Santa Claus. Shoup then assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls. Thus, a holiday tradition was born, which NORAD has carried on ever since.

Every year since NORAD reported Santa’s location on December 24 to millions of children and families around the world.

Efforts beyond Christmas Eve

While NORAD continues its holiday tradition, the top priority of the binational Canadian and American command is the defense of North America.

NORAD uses a network of space, air and ground sensors, in-flight refuellers and alert fighter jets, controlled by a sophisticated command and control network to detect, deter and defend against air threats from the air. outside. or in North American airspace.

EADS is located in the Griffiss Business and Technology Park and is part of the Continental US NORAD Region-1st Air Force (CONR-1AF), which is located at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

Responsible for air defense for the eastern United States, EADS is made up of the 224th New York Air National Guard Air Defense Group, a Canadian Forces detachment, army liaison officers and US Navy, federal civilians and contractors. EADS also has two detachments in the National Capital Region.