Some tips for staying safe on the 4th of July from the Tukwila Police Department:
Fireworks Facts of the Day 💥
1. “I don’t care what the rules are. I’m setting off my fireworks this year! Besides I have homeowners insurance that will cover whatever happens if anything goes wrong!” When you decide at 2AM that it is time to unleash the grand finale in the sky by lighting off all the fireworks you have left and inadvertently set your house on fire, there is a high likelihood that your insurance company will gladly deny your claim. Policies generally exclude covering damages committed by intentional illegal acts.
2. “Good thing I don’t own a home and rent then. It won’t be my problem.” This is also a situation where you will likely end up opening up your wallet. Damages you cause to other persons or property by an errant firework(s) can leave you civilly liable for damages, lawyer fees, court fees, fines etc. plus potential criminal charges. It all adds up quick.
3. “I’ve set them off for years. I know what I’m doing and I’ve never been caught either.” It’s all a numbers game. If you’ve been setting off fireworks for years, chances are your neighbors are not fans and have no problem calling us. We typically get advanced notice from concerned residents who see the usual suspects unloading a truckload of fireworks and or getting ready to set them off each year.
What do I do if I see prohibited fireworks being set off?
If you are seeing prohibited fireworks in the sky but don’t know where they are coming from or who is setting them off, you don’t need to do anything. Unfortunately, we know there are going to be some individuals who choose to set off prohibited fireworks.
If you witness someone setting off prohibited fireworks and can provide us with an address and description of the suspect, then please call (206) 241-2121 and we will dispatch an officer. If you don’t have a specific address but know what street the person setting them off is on and actually see them setting off prohibited fireworks, you can call and give us a description of the residence that they are coming from and a description of the suspect setting them off. We will dispatch an officer to make contact with that individual(s).
If you see any fires, injuries or other emergent situations, please call 9-1-1. For all non-emergency issues like reporting fireworks, please call our non-emergency line at (206) 241-2121.
Please leave 9-1-1 open for emergencies.