VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Beach Oceanfront has a proven record for hosting big events.
Cities across the country even consult with Virginia Beach on how they pull off things like the Rock and Roll Half Marathon and American Music Festival.
But "Something in the Water" is... something different.
In an exclusive interview with 13News Now, Virginia Beach Police Chief Jim Cervera said an expected crowd of 70,000 people is about what they see at the Oceanfront on July 4th.
But after the fireworks, most people leave.
"I think the biggest concern we have is this is the first time we’ve had an event of this size for this duration," Chief Cervera explained.
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Something in the Water is a younger crowd that'll be running at 100 miles an hour, late into the night, for several days.
"One of the biggest challenges for us is to have staffing throughout the evening, throughout the day, at the proper levels without wearing the staff out," Cervera said.
The police chief said a dynamic plan is being put into place to keep people safe. Virginia State Police, Fire, EMS and others will assist in patrolling a venue of approximately 40 blocks at the Oceanfront.
Without giving numbers, Cervera added that there also will be patrol boats in the water, and even a hospital tent for medical emergencies.
"Do we have enough resources?" Cervera asked himself. "Yes, and no. You can never have enough resources for a large event."
Cervera said his department has run a host of scenarios and consulted with other law enforcement agencies across the country. He said they have plans for everything from a high-rise hotel fire to a Las Vegas-style shooting.
Being flexible will be key.
"What you think is going to happen may change at a moment's notice," he said. "You have to be able to have the experience and the issues in place to be able to identify, adapt and overcome whatever the problem may be."
Cervera said his officers will be looking to stop any negative issues before they happen. He wants young people to know his department is part of the community, and they'll be there to have your back.
"The police have taken a lot of hits in recent years in incidents that have happened around the nation. We have a very strong police-community relationship here in Virginia Beach. This will show how strong it is," he said.