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Home My WebLink AboutIR 25-0079INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 17, 2025 Page 1 of 6 i i7 Y SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY rrn OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS The purpose of this Informal Report is to update Mayor & Council of the upcoming plan to manage and communicate efforts related to illegal fireworks during the 4t" of July holiday period. This is a coordinated initiative involving multiple departments and stakeholders. The Joint Emergency Operations Center (JEOC) will be activated daily from July 2nd through July 5th. Operational hours will be 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. on July 2nd and 5th, and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. on July 3rd and 4th. What is the Law? Fireworks are illegal in the City of Fort Worth. According to Fort Worth City Ordinance, the possession, manufacture, storage, sale, handling, and use of fireworks are prohibited. Violators may face fines of up to $2,000. However, fireworks displays that are permitted by the City of Fort Worth are allowed. Can People Shoot Celebratory Gunfire on their Propertv? What goes up must come down. Any celebratory gunshots can result in jail time. Bullets shot in the air can drop down on humans, pets, through roofs, and damage property. Overview Operations will include the Fireworks Enforcement Detail, command for Como Homecoming, command support for Fort Worth's Fourth at Panther Island, and citywide monitoring of celebratory activities that may strain resources. The Fireworks Enforcement Detail will establish a hotline for residents to report illegal fireworks; calls will be managed by a dedicated center staffed by Fire Alarm Office (FAO) personnel and Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteers. The initiatives of the Fire Enforcement Detail focus on public education and safety messaging in advance of the holiday to minimize enforcement. The 2025 Independence Day JEOC activation is a collaborative effort coordinated by the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and supported by the following departments and external partners: • Code Compliance • Communication & Public Engagement • Emergency Management & Communications • Environmental Services • Fire Department • Information Technology Solutions • Police Department • Public Events • Transportation & Public Works • Tarrant Regional Water District Primary Goals: • Ensure the life and safety of residents and first responders. • Ensure that the Fort Worth Police Department's resources are available to respond to emergencies and high -priority calls. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 17, 2025 Page 2 of 6 i i7 Y SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY rrn OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS • Provide adequate messaging about firework safety and the illegality of fireworks in Fort Worth. • Share resources and tools for reporting fireworks through various media outlets (digital, social, and traditional), leading up to and during the holiday weekend. Firework Reportina Resources/Tools: Hotline: A dedicated phone line is available for reporting fireworks. This hotline is designed to prevent the 911 system from being the primary means of contact for the public. Residents should call 817-392-4444 to report firework sightings. Web Reporting Tool: Residents can fill out an online form to report fireworks at "reportfireworks.fortworthtexas.gov." MyFW App: This app, accessible on any smartphone, allows residents to report fireworks through a designated menu option. Police Department Response and Resources: The Fort Worth Police response will vary based on several factors, including: • The number of calls received through our Communications and 911 system. • The number of officers available to respond to calls. • The use of surveillance cameras. • Intelligence gathered from monitoring social media. The Police Department will deploy additional resources working overtime in all patrol divisions during times of suspected illegal fireworks activity. All calls to the Fort Worth Police Communications will be prioritized for police response. Fire Department Resources: • Additional call takers will be added to ensure the computer -aided dispatch (CAD) system remains operational. • Investigate all injuries and fires associated with fireworks. • Provide messaging about fireworks to the media. • Staff the Fireworks Hotline with volunteers. • Accept confiscated fireworks. Communitv Outreach: The police department has been communicating with many neighborhood associations about the dangers of celebratory gunfire. Additionally, and reintegrating the dangers. Additionally, we are working with the community to minimize the impact the illegal fireworks have on their neighborhood. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 17, 2025 Page 3 of 6 i i7 Y SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY rrn OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS Media Messaaina: • Please DO NOT CALL 9-1-1 to report fireworks instead: o Call the fireworks hotline at 817-392-4444 o Or report online using the MyFW app o Or head to www. repo rtfi rewo rks.fo rtwo rt htexas. a ov and file a report • Social media messaging regarding fireworks began the first week of June. The Police Department will take the lead on public messaging and the other public safety departments will provide the same messaging. • All media requests for "safety tips" and operational firework activity will be fielded by the Fire Department. • Firework messaging was included in the June edition of City Times and a separate Water bill insert for June (in water bills for June, goes out to 240,000 households) • On June 25, Communications & Public Engagement (CPE) posted firework messaging on City the website. This will be shared on social media and in our City News newsletter as well. The newsletter reaches 37,000 residents. The CPE social media accounts all together have over 600,000 followers. • Social Media: All Police and Fire Department social media platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Nextdoor, as well as the Office of Emergency Management's accounts on Twitter and Instagram, will be utilized for messaging purposes. • Graphics: Graphics in English and Spanish will promote awareness of the dangers and hazards of fireworks, highlight the importance of reporting through appropriate channels rather than 911, and remind the public that fireworks are illegal in Fort Worth. • News Release: Offer sound to the media as requested Number of Reported Fireworks (by report type) in 2024 Fireworks Reporting Volume 2024 120 C: 1000 8OG 600 400 200 0 i at JEOC by a 0tw8n ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 17, 2025 Page 4 of 6 i i7 Y SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY rrn OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS Permitting of Public Firework Displays 1. What are the rules and setbacks for fireworks? Based on the International Fire Code and NFPA 1123 Standards. Setbacks for outdoor aerial mortar shells of the display site shall be 70 ft/ in. of the internal mortar diameter of the largest aerial shell to be fired. This is the minimum site radius allowed by the city of Fort Worth for application approval. 3" shell would require a minimum 210' radius from the firing location. (Most Common) 4" shells are also very common with a minimum 280' radius. 6" shells are usually only used on the bigger, more elaborate displays such as Fort Worth Fourth. 2. How do these rules and setbacks apply to private clubs that have fireworks displays? The rules and setbacks are the same and enforced the same at any location in the City of Fort Worth. A person or organization wanting to have a pyrotechnic display contract with a licensed State of Texas pyrotechnic company to design and produce the display. The licensed pyrotechnic company coordinates all aspects of the display while meeting the conditions of the issued permit. A FD representative is present at the event who physically inspects to ensure that all requirements of the issued permit are met. This includes product selection, safety distances and exclusion zones, and weather concerns. This representative stays on -site throughout the show, is in direct contact with the license holder and has the authority to stop the display at any time for any reason that we deem necessary. The Fort Worth Fire Department issues pyrotechnic display permits within the City. The Fire Department has no jurisdiction for any area outside the city limits and currently Tarrant County does not require any type of permit for pyrotechnic displays. To ensure a prompt response to emergency calls, we encourage residents to use the Non -Emergency Fireworks Hotline to report illegal fireworks. Residents can call 817-392-4444 or report online at repo rtfireworks. fortworthtexas.gov. Please remember that in the event of an emergency, you should continue to call 911. We wish all residents and visitors a happy and safe Fourth of July! If you have any questions on this report please contact Interim Chief of Police Robert Alldredge, Fort Worth Police Department at 817-392-4212 or Sonny Saxton, Director Emergency Management and Communications at 682-362-3914. Jesus "Jay" Chapa City Manager ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council p�T�A4 Grp 4 i { i7 Y SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY 10,?UF IV OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS June 17, 2025 Page 5 of 6 Leave the Show to the Pros Deje el Espectaculo a los Profesionales It's safer, and it's also the law. Es mas seguro, y tambien es la ley. Pleased o not ca119-1-1 to report fireworks. Illegal fireworks are punishable by law, and the penalty can be up to a $2,000 fine. Howto report illegal fireworks: @10?'D Download the App! Remember what goes up must come down. Any celebratory gunshots can result in jail time. Par favor no IIame al 9-1-1 para reportar fuegos artificiales. Los fuegos artificiales ilegales estan penados por ley, y la sancion puede ser de hasta $2,000 de multa. Como den unciar los fuegos artificiales ilegales: oo iDescarguela aplicacion! Recuerde que todo to que sube tiene que bojor. CuaIquier disparo decelebracion puede acarrear penas de cartel. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 25-0079 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council p�T�A4 (01 SUBJECT: CITY OF FORT WORTH FOURTH OF JULY 10'?UF IV OPERATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS June 17, 2025 Page 6 of 6 ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS