Aside from environmental pollution, the July Fourth holiday usually means a jump in calls made to law enforcement, DUI arrests and injuries.
From Wednesday, July 3 to the morning of Friday, July 5, a total of 82 firework-related calls were made to 911, according to Bellingham Police lieutenant Claudia Murphy. In comparison, last year the dispatch line received 74 calls. Some of the calls were noise-related, she confirmed.
No infractions for shooting off fireworks were given out, Murphy confirmed Friday, July 5.
Between 2022-2024, DUI arrests have gone up each year. On July 4, Murphy shared in a NextDoor post that morning shift officers had already arrested two DUI drivers before noon.
Asked about the small number of DUI arrests made in 2022, Murphy explained that their patrol was “probably busy” and that staffing has increased since then.
Seven people were treated for burns on the morning of July 5, said Anne Williams, communications specialist for PeaceHealth St. Joseph.
Last year alone, 9,700 people across the nation were treated in emergency rooms for firework-related injuries, according to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Olivia Capriotti is a Dow Jones summer news intern, specializing in data journalism. Reach her at oliviacapriotti@cascadiadaily.com.
