SAVANNAH, Ga. () — Savannah has its very own Bourbon Street right on the river, and big events attract people here almost all year long. How do officials plan to keep folks safe?

Councilman Nick Palumbo of the 4th District told News 3 that the city considers tragic events in other places around the nation when planning for celebrations downtown, citing the most recent tragedy in New Orleans, Palumbo’s hometown.

“We know that there’s going to be lessons learned, especially about making yourself a hard target and doing everything in our power to protect residents and visitors from anything like that happening here in the city of Savannah,” Palumbo said. “Vigilance is the price that you have to pay for freedom, and we’ve got to be able to be trained and make sure that we have the right resource in the right place to be able to neutralize any threat.”

New Orleans typically has concrete columns blocking parts of downtown with heavier foot traffic. But according to officials, those near Bourbon Street were being replaced.

Savannah has similar tools downtown to protect people walking around. Even the cobblestone roads are a useful tool for slowing down cars, especially on bumpy River Street.

But even the entrance to City Market on a typical day is vulnerable. Tables and chairs near the crosswalk on Barnard Street have no barriers to protect those eating and walking around.

The other end, however, has several bollards, or concrete posts to separate the area from the road.

Savannah police are patrolling on busy nights out on the town, and surveillance cameras are in place on almost every corner.

For one of the most famous large celebrations in Savannah, St. Patrick’s Day, Palumbo says they plan for it all year long.

“We work with the St. Patrick’s Day committee, especially for security contingency plans for situations just like these to be prepared for major special events. We plus our department with hundreds of additional officers from neighboring counties and cities to be able to help us out with major events,” he said.

Even out of the downtown area, Enmarket Arena has been a very popular spot in Savannah to see concerts, hockey matches and even rodeos.

Those streets and sidewalks are often filled with people walking around late at night.

A spokesperson with the venue detailed the security measures in place like barriers that block cars from getting close to the front doors, clear bag policies, metal detectors, K9 sweeps and police officers in and outside the venue.

Brandon Kopec, VP of operations at Enmarket Arena, echoed Palumbo. He said he’s confident in the safety and security at the arena should a crisis happen.

“It’s a 24/7, 365 effort to keep our city safe and protect any areas,” Palumbo said.

News 3 did reach out to the Savannah Police Department to learn their plans for big events.

A spokesperson said they don’t share those details with the public, but rest assured they consider all threats as they plan for events downtown.