Increased Dispatch calls as fireworks are mistaken for gunshots
As the Fourth of July approaches
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EVANSVILLE, Indiana (WEVV) — As the Fourth of July approaches, local dispatch centers are experiencing a surge in calls about possible gunshots that often turn out to be fireworks.
Every year around this time, the volume of calls reporting what could be gunshots spikes significantly.
People are understandably cautious when they hear loud noises that could be gunfire. For law enforcement, it means an increase in workload as they respond to these calls to ensure public safety.
44New spoke with the Director of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Central Dispatch, Carrie James, on how many calls they have received so far this year.
“This year so far from June 1st to today we had 63 calls, of this I think about 3 of them involved the word shots were somebody might have thought shots fired or gunshots,” James informed.
In comparison, last year Dispatch saw more than 200 calls, and in 2022, the number exceeded to 400 calls.
The good news is, many of these calls turn out to be false alarms, with the sounds coming from fireworks. However, Dispatch wants to express safety precautions when reporting these suspicions.
“If they think that it’s gunshots, obviously I don’t want you stepping outside of your house. Don’t step outside the house but if there’s a safe way you know you can look out,” James expressed.
For the days surrounding the Fourth of July, residents are allowed to set off fireworks from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. On July 4th itself, the window extends until midnight. It’s important for residents to adhere to these times to avoid unnecessary calls to dispatch and to ensure everyone’s safety.
As always, if you hear something suspicious, don’t hesitate to report it and be mindful of the permitted times for fireworks to help reduce the number of false alarms.
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