Some cities and counties in Washington are telling people not to call 911 for firework noise complaints on the Fourth of July so first-responders can prioritize emergencies over neighborhood nuisances.
“Protecting lives and preserving property will be the priority,” Kitsap CENCOM wrote in a press release.
The agency said all Kitsap County law enforcement would not respond to firework complaints that pose no imminent threat to people.
An overwhelming number of firework noise complaint calls can paralyze 911 call centers on Independence Day, one of the busiest days of the year for emergency responders, preventing people with urgent issues from reaching a dispatcher.
Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority says it won't discourage people from dialing 911, but it wants them to understand that not every call is a crisis.
“Calls are going to stack up, but leave it up to the dispatchers and call receivers at the 911 centers to determine how high of a priority your call is,” Capt. Kyle Ohashi said.
In some communities, there's a growing sense of frustration that police aren't doing enough to prevent people from making lots of noise.
Seattle City Councilmember Lisa Herbold wrote in a blog post that when she asked the Seattle Police Department to do a better job of enforcement, they told her there were too many complaints for them to respond.
In a letter to Seattle's mayor requesting more robust enforcement, Herbold wrote, “Despite repeated inquiries to both SPD and your staff over the last six months, I have not received any reply."
"I fear that with ever-escalating fireworks use, the current laissez-faire approach, will result one day in someone getting hurt," Herbold wrote.
A Seattle Police spokesperson said their priority, on such a busy holiday, is responding to injuries and crimes-in-progress and maintaining the safety of crowds at the various events.
The department said they will seize fireworks if they see people launching them.
SPD said if you do decide to call 911, provide as much detail as possible. For example, if you notice a child setting off explosives, make sure the dispatcher knows they're dealing with a kid. That would help them understand the seriousness of the situation.
Some agencies, like those in Kitsap County, are telling people to call a non-emergency police number for noise complaints.
