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The dip in the number of calls for fireworks complaints in Longmont over the Fourth of July weekend was likely due to the opening of the city's call center to field fireworks complaints, a resident who has spoken up about illegal fireworks said today.
"I absolutely believe the call center helped," Ramona Giroux said. She helped at the call center by responding to citizen reports about illegal fireworks and gathered information that will be passed along to police.
"I think we gathered some good data that will help police as we go forward," Giroux said. A group of residents, along with the city, also distributed signs and produced social media posts about the problems caused by illegal fireworks, she said..
Her own neighborhood was quiet during the Fourth celebration, she said. while illegal fire works were still exploding a block over. "We still have a lot to do," she said.
At least 11 fires were linked to fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend with fireworks damaging four structures between July 1 and July 5. Police also seized over 400 pounds of illegal fireworks but issued no tickets for fireworks between June 27 and July 7, according to records provided by Longmont Public Safety.
Two tickets were issued in 2020 for fireworks and three tickets in 2021 during that same time period, according to the records.
Police responded to 193 911 calls for service for fireworks between June 27 and July 11. Records show police responded to 810 911 calls for service during that time frame in 2020 and 480 in 2021, the records state.
The decline in calls could be due to the opening of the city’s seven-phone fireworks hotline, which began receiving calls between July 1 and the Fourth of July weekend. The center received 271 calls during that time while residents made 259 online calls about fireworks, the records state.
In all, police responded to 2,847 calls for service that were not fireworks related between June 27 and July 7, the records state. Police responded to 3,869 non-fireworks calls for service in 2020 and 4,041 in 2021 during that same time period, according to the records.
