Final safety preparations, float decorating underway for Rose Parade

AZUSA, Calif. (KABC) -- Preparations for the 135th annual Rose Parade continue in Azusa, with volunteers building the colorful floats and officials taking the final steps to ensure the safety of thousands set to attend.

Just over two weeks from the parade, the crew at Artistic Entertainment Services in Azusa is finishing up building the 11 floats they'll have in the event.

Including the seasonal workers, more than 300 people will brings the floats to life. The DirecTV float will feature the Little League World Series champs from El Segundo.

The San Diego Zoo float will have a huge wow-factor once it hits Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.

"There's nothing more joyful and exciting than to see these floats come to life," said Heidi Hoff with Artistic Entertainment Services. "From the inception of the rendering to the drawing to the building of the elements, and when it all comes together all in one place, it's like watching your child take their first steps."

And for the hundreds of thousands that are expected to enjoy the floats along the parade route, making sure they're all safe is the top priority for the city's police and fire departments.

The American Red Cross will have first-aid stations about every half-mile along the parade route. There will also be a law enforcement presence from the city, county, state and federal levels that'll be keeping an eye on things.

The Pasadena police chief was asked, after protesters blocked the 110 Freeway in downtown L.A. Wednesday, what do you do to prevent something similar from happening along the parade route with the world watching on TV?

"We are prepared for it. We prepare for the worst, expect the best," Pasadena Police Chief Eugene Harris said. "That is the way we're going to approach it. We do have resources that will be on scene to deal with those type of events should they occur. But I am hopeful that our advance parties and our intelligence is accurate and that we should not have any of those types of issues to deal with. But if we do we're prepared to deal with them."