Hollister police and members of the Hollister Fire Department issued 48 illegal fireworks-related citations, according to Fire Battalion Chief Charlie Bedolla.
Additionally, he said HFD responded to 23 fires between June 30 and July 4. Of those, the department confirmed four were fireworks-related and the rest are under investigation.
Frankie Gallagher with Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital said the emergency department did not receive any patients related to fireworks incidents.
HPD reported 44 fireworks related citations during the same time frame in 2022. Hollister Fire responded to five fireworks related fires from July 1 to July 4 last year.
According to Officer Bo Leland the Hollister Police department had three additional units with two officers in each car on Saturday and Sunday night, and on the 4th, there were six additional officers out patrolling for illegal firework activity. Officers were evenly spread all throughout the city over the holiday. They 139 fireworks related calls over the five-day period.
Hollister Fire started their patrols on June 28, when the sale of legal fireworks in the county began. Bedolla said firefighters responded to four fires on June 30, four on July 1, four on July 2, one on July 3 and eight on July 4.
“HFD confiscated over 30 pounds of firework paraphernalia,” Bedolla said. He added that there were some residents who surrendered fireworks. He said that the department appreciates it when this happens and that staff will accept the fireworks with no questions asked.
Hollister Police Animal Care & Services also reported seven dogs were brought into the shelter, one of which was deceased on July 5. Alyssa Bautista of the Hollister Animal Shelter said the holiday fireworks lead to an increase of missing animals.
“The 4th of July is the biggest event of the year for animal shelters,” Bautista said.
This year’s number of lost pets, however, was less than last year when the shelter received four dogs found on patrol, three dogs left in the night kennels and five dogs brought to the counter.