The City of Mesquite's Police and Fire departments took an active role this past Independence Day to ensure the celebrations were as safe as they were festive. Over the course of the holiday weekend, both entities ramped up their presence, carrying out specialized patrols to tackle the increased incidents of illegal fireworks and impaired driving notoriously associated with the Fourth of July.
Equipped with additional personnel, the departments deployed strategically across zones known to historically experience a high volume of calls during this time of year. By doing so, they were able to swiftly respond to a reported 174 calls about fireworks and 32 alerts involving suspected gunfire. In one proactive effort to specifically slow down the inflow of emergency calls, the Police introduced a fireworks hotline that received over 300 calls, which were promptly added to a "heat map" to indicate areas of focus even when call details were vague.
These initiatives proved effective, resulting in the confiscation of more than 83 pounds of fireworks and 15 firearms, along with 25 arrests on charges of Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). The Fire Department was also involved, attending to six fireworks-related calls, which ranged from open-area fires to a residential roof fire. Despite the potential dangers, there were no reported injuries due to the fireworks or gunfire, as stated in a release from the City of Mesquite.
In the words of City Manager Cliff Keheley, via the City of Mesquite, "Our community's commitment to safety continues to grow each year." He expressed his gratitude towards the Police, Fire, Dispatch, and Call Center teams for their "hard work and dedication over the holiday weekend" that contributed to keeping Mesquite safe.
