See illegal fireworks? Report it online instead of calling 911 if it’s not an emergency

If you see your neighbors setting off fireworks this week for July Fourth and have concerns, there’s an alternative to calling 911.

South Sound 911’s online reporting system at fireworksreport.com allows Pierce County residents in the following police jurisdictions to report fireworks complaints through the weekend, ending at 6 a.m. on July 8:

• Bonney Lake

• Buckley

• DuPont

• Eatonville

• Edgewood

• Fife

• Fircrest

• Lakewood

• Milton

• Orting

• Pierce County Sheriff Department

• Roy

• Ruston

• South Prairie

• Steilacoom

• Sumner

• Tacoma

• University Place

• Wilkeson

If someone is injured or something is on fire, or if the incident presents an immediate danger to people or property, call 911.

To make a report with the online system, you must provide your name, contact information, a valid address so dispatchers can locate where the fireworks are coming from, and a description of what you are reporting, according to Kris McNamar, community relations manager for South Sound 911.

Information collected from fireworksreport.com is then sent electronically to the appropriate law enforcement agency to respond, McNamar said.

The Puyallup Police Department and the Gig Harbor Police Department are not participating in the online system. Residents in those jurisdictions can call the non-emergency phone line for South Sound 911, which is 253-287-4455 or 1-800-562-9800.

Capt. Kevin Gill from the Puyallup Police Department said the department has assigned two officers to respond to July Fourth fireworks complaints along with a deputy marshal from the Central Pierce Fire & Rescue Department. He said the department prefers to receive the complaints directly since it has the staffing for it.

Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey said his department typically gets low numbers of fireworks complaints in Gig Harbor around July Fourth and also prefers to respond directly.

For the participating jurisdictions, the alternative reporting option frees up 911 staff to prioritize emergencies and is more convenient for people reporting fireworks complaints who would otherwise be put on hold while 911 staff are answering emergency calls, McNamar said.

The Fourth of July tends to be one of the agency’s busiest days, according to McNamar, because of the high volume of complaints they get about issues like people breaking the rules around where fireworks can be discharged and noise complaints.

According to a South Sound 911 news release, the online reporting system saved 911 staff 45 hours of talk time when it was launched in 2022.

Editor’s note: This story has been changed to reflect how complaints are routed to law enforcement.