Whatcom Co. Fourth of July by the numbers: ER visits, fire calls, DUIs kept authorities busy

Officials at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham reported at least seven people visited the hospital with fireworks-related injuries, and more than a dozen fires were sparked by fireworks over the Fourth of July holiday in Whatcom County.

The seven emergency room visits included a person who lost three fingers and a thumb lighting off an M80, according to Chief Jon Ahrenholz with North Whatcom Fire and Rescue.

The Bellingham Fire Department did not have an exact number for fireworks-related fires in the city, but Capt. Dustin Michaelis said there were nearly three times as many fire-related calls the week of July 4 compared to an average week. Michaelis said the department normally receives about eight fire calls per week, and last week they received 21.

“It’s pretty hard to tell if they were caused by fireworks without looking at the details of each call,” Michaelis said. “I think it’s safe to say, with the spike in fire-related calls, that fireworks are a component that contributed to this spike.”

There were a total of 82 fireworks-related calls to police between July 3 and July 5. However, Bellingham police issued zero citations for illegal fireworks usage in the city, Megan Peters with the Bellingham Police Department told The Herald.

Man lighting fireworks killed when one hits him in the head, Washington cops say

Peters said in order to issue a citation, officers need to find the location, the responsible parties and have probable cause. They can also seize any fireworks or explosives they find. While there were 82 fireworks calls, it is not clear how many may have been for the same incidents.

There was also a high number of intoxicated drivers during the holiday. Bellingham Police reported arresting 14 drivers for DUI within city limits July 3-5. By comparison, there were 28 DUI arrests for the entirety of June, according to a social media post made by the department.