Final preps for the pope at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary

Thursday, September 24, 2015
VIDEO: Final preps at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary
The final preps are being made for Pope Francis? visit at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary.

WYNNEWOOD, Pa. (WPVI) -- The final preps are being made for Pope Francis' visit at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary, where he will live during his time here in Philadelphia.

Seminarians, security, along with a massive production team have spent the better half of this year making sure the ritualistic plans for the weekend are in place and the pope can use the seminary as a place of prayer, reflection and rest.

Stephen Dolan Jr. is the CFO at St. Charles Borromeo tells us, "Most of the stuff that you're seeing right now is security related from our point of view, other than we've planted a lot of flowers, we've cut the lawns, we've power washed a lot of steps."

And all summer St. Charles Borromeo has been renovating, painting and making room not only for the Holy Father but the more than four dozen delegated from around the world who will be staying at the seminary with him.

And a production team has been on site to meticulously orchestrate the pope's walk down the loggia and his speech in the chapel. It is a delicate balance of protection access and comfort.

Phyllis Jablonowski is an event producer with the Creative Group. She explains, "There's a lot of moving parts in this. This pope has a grueling schedule with a lot of places to be, and we have lots and lots of pieces. There're certainly lots of sensitivities in protecting him."

And just up the road, Lankenau Hospital and Mainline Health are erecting medical tents, acting as an urgent care center.

Dr. Ben Usatch, Lankenau's Deputy Director of ER, tells us, "Nurses, doctors, techs staying in Lankenau for the 72 hour period all there to take care of our normal patients as well as surge we may expect from the area."

A large tent on the seminary grounds will serve as a triage. Then patients can be brought to another tent equipped with 22 stretchers that can be hooked up to an IV pole.

And for those who can't get to the medical tents, medical teams can get to them using an ATV with a doctor and EMT on board.

"If we need to move somebody urgently we have a very safe and efficient transport system. We'd like to think almost any and all eventualities have been planned for."

What we are learning is there is so much preparation that goes in to this kind of event. There are precautions and back up plans to cover every scenario.

Philadelphia should be proud of this kind of community and government effort as a great representation of our city.