The fireworks sale and discharge period in Emporia is now underway, which has traditionally meant a larger workload for staff at the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center.
The sales and discharge window began Saturday and will continue through July 5th from 10 am to 10 pm daily, with the only exceptions being July 3rd and 4th, when the cutoff will be extended to 11 pm. While speaking with KVOE News Monday, LCECC Director Roxanne Van Gundy noted that not everyone is a big fan of the added noise that comes with the sales and discharge period or the fact that not everyone sticks to the prescribed time frame.
With that in mind, Van Gundy this time of year, typically brings not only a much larger call volume to the center, but also some highly intense interactions.
Van Gundy says all calls to the center are important; however, not all are true emergencies, and, as such, they are asking residents to direct their calls to the non-emergency phone line 620-343-4225, where they will be connected to the center’s AI assistant, Betty.
The Betty AI call-handling software was installed late last year to help reduce non-emergency call handling, and Van Gundy says the Fourth of July holiday was one of the key factors that led to the technology’s introduction.
With fireworks set to be filling the night sky for the next week, residents are reminded that there are a few guidelines they need to keep in mind to avoid any penalties:
*No fireworks may be discharged in the streets.
*No fireworks may be discharged in parks, the Emporia Golf Course, city parking lots or recreational fields, the Emporia Zoo, the Emporia Recreation Center, or the Jones Aquatic Center parking lot.
*No fireworks may be discharged within 200 square feet of the property line of a hospital, a school, or a nursing home.
You can find additional guidelines and information regarding fireworks sales and discharge online at EmporiaKS.gov.
