PHOENIX (AZFamily)<\/b> \u2014 Phoenix police and fire departments are working together on a new fireworks enforcement initiative this July 4, following a surge in emergency calls in recent years.<\/p>\n
The effort began last year when the city started tracking emergency calls related to fireworks. Officers were then deployed into communities with high call volume in the weeks leading up to the holiday to inform neighbors of the new rules.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s allowed \u2014 and what isn\u2019t<\/p>\n
Phoenix is currently under a stage one fire restriction<\/a>, which prohibits fireworks within 1 mile of mountain preserves and parks. Anything that goes into the air is illegal under city rules. Violators face fines or criminal charges, and under the new rules, police can also seize and destroy illegal fireworks<\/a>.<\/p>\n Phoenix police commander Mercedes Fortune said the department will have extra staff on duty during the holiday.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some amazing fireworks shows,\u201d Fortune said, pointing residents toward public displays as an alternative.<\/p>\n Demand for illegal fireworks remains high<\/p>\n At a local fireworks stand, employee Marcelino Alvarez said business has been strong \u2014 but so has demand for prohibited items.<\/p>\n \u201cThese are all safe and sane, that\u2019s what we call them. Legal fireworks, and business has been really good,\u201d Alvarez said. He said people have been asking for the bigger, illegal fireworks. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot this year. Almost, out of every five, one of them comes in and asks,\u201d Alvarez said.<\/p>\n A customer entered the store during the visit and asked for mortars. Staff told them no illegal fireworks were available.<\/p>\n \u201cThey became illegal because too many houses were catching on fire, apartments. A whole lot of everything,\u201d Alvarez said.<\/p>\n Community response<\/p>\n Several Phoenix City Council members said they received a high volume of calls from residents expressing concerns about fireworks. The city has created an interactive map<\/a> where residents can enter their address to determine whether they are within 1 mile of a preserve or park.<\/p>\n Still, for many residents, fireworks remain a cherished part of the holiday.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a Gen Xer, so it really boils down to that\u2019s how I grew up and I want to pass that tradition down to my kids,\u201d Anthony Mendenhall said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just like to get a few small ones for the kids,\u201d Claire Jaramillo said.<\/p>\n See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it<\/a>.<\/p>\n Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here<\/a> with a brief description.<\/p>\n