It won’t be long now kids, Santa Claus will begin his deliveries around the world on December 24th. North American Aerospace Defense Command will be tracking to ensure he is safe.
It’s an annual tradition, going to the NORAD Santa tracker website to watch as he drops presents to children around the world.
Captain Caleb Robertson is a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force.
He feels very privileged to have been chosen to assist with this special mission this year, “Santa is a very important man and he has a lot of important things to do that night, particularly delivering presents to children who are good. I’m just really happy to be a part of it.”
Robertson uses his CF-18 fighter jet to help track Santa.
He told us, they also use a radar system, that has infrared sensors, “Rudolph’s nose gives off a massive amount of heat, so as soon as he steps into Canada, we can see Rudolph’s nose and he is super easy to track.”
NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955. Robertson says a misprint in a department store advertisement, led to a young child calling into the Continental Air Defence Command Operation centre in Colorado Springs, “An Air Force Colonel, Harry Shoop was the Commander on Duty that night. He was quick to realise that a mistake had been made, but he assured the child he was Santa. He then assigned the Duty Officer to continue answering calls throughout the night and that is how it was born. The rest is history.”
Today, is a busy day at the North Pole, as Santa Claus and his reindeer prepare for their long journey tomorrow around the world.
NORAD is also getting its crews ready, to ensure he has a safe trip.
You can also track Santa at noradSanta.org
