Bonus Episode: 100 Seconds to Midnight: The Santa Tracker

0:31 When does Santa come with my presence? It'll be later tonight. Don't worry, he'll come. He promised me that he would come and bring treats and toys. Well, you have to be asleep and you can't bark at him when he comes. He'll put you on the naughty list. I won't bark at him. He's nice. I met him. You know he can get doggy daycare. I told him when I wanted for Christmas, and he gave me ripped cream. I hope he brings more dog food. I'm worried that the grid will go down. The dog food is my responsibility. He'll bring treats and toys for you, but you have to be asleep. You can't see him coming in the house. But I really want to talk to him again. He gives good belly ReBs. You can get belly rubs from Santa next year. He comes every year. You just don't remember last year because you were little. Are you watching Nora d Yes, I'm watching the Santa Tracker. He's in Africa now, Okay, keep an eye on him.

1:48 Do you have to be asleep too, No, I can see Santa when he comes. I'll give him treats when he comes. What kind of treats do you give Santa? Well, I'll probably give him some cookies and milk. That's a Santa tradition. Okay, that he told me he likes shipped cream too, though It's okay. I'm sure he'll like the cookies too. I'm having this conversation with my dog, but I'm sure many of you are having this very same conversation with your children tonight. It's a night of wonder and excitement when children are curious about what Santa will bring them for Christmas.

2:37 It's ninety seconds to midnight, and the jolly old Soul who delivers gifts is currently flying over Liberia. So far, he's delivered almost five billion gifts to the girls and boys and dogs and cats on his nice list. Welcome to Cause of Death. One hundred seconds to midnight, host Jackie Morante. It's Christmas Eve here in Missouri, and I'm watching the Santa Tracker with my faithful dog beside me. Sweet Pea was too young to remember Santa coming last year, but this year she's all about getting a few special gifts. I watch the Santa Tracker every year on Christmas Eve. My daughter is long grown, but he makes an appearance for my pets every year. My animals always seem to find themselves on the nice list for Santa. The story of the Santa Tracker is sixty eight years old this year, and I thought it would be fun to talk a little about Norrad and how they began tracking Santa on Christmas Eve. Norrad is a defense system for the US and Canada. They spend their days and nights looking for any incoming missiles, but the most important thing they do is they track Santa as he makes his way across the world to deliver presence. This all began in nineteen fifty five when a small child called

4:09 a phone number that she had seen in an advertisement in her local paper. She missdiled and accidentally reached the Continental Air Defense Command Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is known as CONAD Air Force. Colonel Larry Schupe was the commander on duty that night, and he realized that the child had called the number accidentally, but instead of rudely hanging up, he told her that he was not Santa, but it was his job to make sure that Santa made it safely on his way across the world so that he could deliver presence.

4:49 A tradition was born that night. Three years later, the duties were transferred to Norrad when CONAD was dissolved. Eight Here I sit at my computer watching Santa live on radar sixty eight years after a little girl accidentally called an unlisted number for one of the most powerful defense systems in the world. Every year, the Santa Tracker website receives nearly fifteen million visitors from around the world. Volunteers at the command center take more than one hundred and thirty thousand calls to the Norrad Tracks Santa hotline from children all around the globe. Only Santa knows the route that he'll take each year, and it changes with each passing year. Children and pets grow older, they change locations, and sometimes children and pets move from the nice list to the naughty list and vice versa, so Santa can't always take the same route. Historically, Santa comes to houses sometime between nine pm and midnight. If the children or pets are awake, he moves on and tries again later when he's sure they're asleep. How does Norrad track Santa. NORAD has some of the most sophisticated tracking equipment in the world. They use radar, satellites, and jet fighters. All these things

6:21 in combination help the people at NORAD watch Santa as he travels around the Earth leaving presents. NORD turns the North Warning radar system to the North Pole a few days before Christmas so that they won't miss liftoff. This picks up the glow from Rudolph's nose. Once Santa is in the air, NORRAD begins using the same satellite systems that they use to warn them of any missile attacks headed to North America. The satellites are located twenty two three hundred miles above the Earth and they're equipped with infrared sensors. Rudolph's nose gives off an infrared signature that's very similar to a missile launch, and the satellites can pick up on that nose very easily. As Santa reaches North America, he has to slow down just a bit because the jet fighters meet him as soon as he enters North American airspace and they escort him through the United States and Canada as a final insurance that he makes at home safely. This impedes his trip just a little bit since he flies so much faster than the jet fighters, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. He understands the need for national security.

7:46 After visiting the homes in the US, Santa heads to Canada. Then it's a straight shot north to the North Pole and home. North America is the last place on his route. The jet fighters escort him the entire way through the continent. Then Santa snaps the reins and pushes the reindeer up to full throttle again so he can make it home quickly. Running a huge toy factory is a twenty four to seven three hundred and sixty five operation, and he can't delay getting back. There's a lot to do before next year. It's ninety seconds to midnight, and Norad is keeping a watchful eye on Chris Kringle throughout his flight, making sure that he arrives home safely to the North Pole at the end of his journey. Sweet p and I wish all of you happy holidays and thank you for listening to Cause of Death. One hundred seconds to midnight. Boo boo booz