Fireworks: 911 call times improve on July 4th thanks to new reporting tool

News Article

Increased staffing, public education, and a new fireworks reporting tool reduced calls to 911, speeding response times and helping dispatchers focus on emergency calls. Fires caused by fireworks are trending down but still too common. Dots on map show fireworks reported so far in July 2025.

Parades, barbeques, picnics: July 4th means different things to people. For Portland's emergency responders, it means the busiest night of the year.

Many of the calls are fires and injuries caused by fireworks. Portland Fire & Rescue reported 9 fires caused by fireworks on July 4th, and 27 for the fireworks season, which runs from June 23 through July 6. (This represents a downward trend from last year, which saw 14 fires caused by fireworks on July 4th and 29 for the season.)

Historically, however, 911 also gets fireworks calls that are not emergencies - nothing is on fire and no one is injured.

This year, in partnership with Gresham Police Department and Multnomah County Sheriff's Office, Portland launched a new online fireworks reporting tool to help people to report fireworks without clogging up vital 911 lines, which are needed for emergency calls.

New data show residents are taking to the new system. The tool fielded 4,590 reports this season, yielding invaluable information for tracking hotspots and directing future public education.

Average answer times for 911 calls on July 4th showed dramatic improvement this year, dropping to 8 seconds from 26 seconds last year and 70 in 2023.

Emergency officials say the tool has helped keep 911 calltakers from being overwhelmed. Calls to 911 on July 4th were down 13% to 2,015 this year, falling from 2,305 last year.

The data also show a dramatic improvement in average 911 wait times. The average wait time on July 4th was 8 seconds this year, down from 26 seconds in 2024 and 70 seconds in 2023.

"I want to thank the community on behalf of all of us at 911 for using the online reporting tool and only calling 911 with emergencies where you needed a first responder. This eased pressure on all public safety partners and helped us dispatch responders to emergencies quicker," said Steve Mawdsley, interim director of the Portland Bureau of Emergency Communications.

Fireworks pose a dilemma for the emergency response system. Every year, fireworks cause fires, injuries and sometimes deaths, making July 4th the busiest night of the year for emergency responders.

Climate change and extreme heat raise the risk of damage from fireworks. Fireworks caused the Eagle Creek Fire of 2017, which burned 48,000 acres in the Columbia Gorge. Fireworks also caused the deadly fire at the Heidi Manor Apartments on July 4th, 2021, that killed three people and injured a fourth.

Residents quickly adopted the new fireworks reporting tool, which has fielded 4,590 reports since its launch. (The total on the chart is outdated and slightly lower.)

"Fireworks can kill and injure people and destroy property. They are illegal in Portland. Please respect the ban for the safety of yourself, your family, your neighbors and your community. We want you to fire up the grill, bring the fruit salad and enjoy a safe and peaceful celebration," said Rick Graves, public information officer for Portland Fire & Rescue.

The City of Portland banned personal fireworks in 2022, but compliance has been uneven and the rule has proven difficult to enforce.

Data from the reporting tool can help public safety partners focus fire-safety education on local hotspots to help residents understand the dangers of fireworks and encourage them to find other ways to celebrate.

Oregon SurfRider volunteers cleaned up July 4th trash and debris in Willamette Park.

Meanwhile, volunteers for Portland Parks and Recreation organized work parties to clean up the aftermath from July 4th revelry in parks and beaches:

• Oregon SurfRider organized 30 volunteers who bagged 760 pounds of debris from Willamette Park.
• Kenton Neighborhood Association organized 17 volunteers who bagged 2,360 pounds of debris from Kenton Park that was hauled away by Friends of Ours.
• East Portland Collective organized 26 volunteers who bagged and hauled more than 4,000 pounds of debris from Glenwood Park.

Fires and fires caused by fireworks 2020-25.

Year	Total fires in season	Fires caused by fireworks in season	Injuries due to fireworks in season	Fires on July 4th	Fires caused by fireworks on July 4th	Injuries due to fireworks on July 4th
2025	263	27	0	29	9	0
2024	186	29	0	38	14	0
2023	336	46	0	67	30	0
2022*	224	10	0	20	3	0
2021	307	15	4 (3 fatalities)	31	3	4 (3 fatalities)
2020	223	44	1	36	18	0

Source: Portland Fire & Rescue. Fireworks season is defined as June 23 - July 6.