By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
With the Fourth of July officially in the rearview mirror, Gallup Fire Chief Jon Pairett stood before the Gallup City Council during their July 14 meeting to debrief them on his department’s holiday statistics.
While the Fourth of July often brings chaos, the numbers show that this year’s celebrations were remarkably calm.
The Gallup Fire Department deployed 23 personnel for the 24-hour Fourth of July shift. During that window, crews responded to:
Pairett noted that because his team typically handles 24 to 31 daily calls, the national holiday actually kept them right around their average workload.
While crews did respond to one potential structure fire, it turned out to be a harmless bonfire. Ultimately, the holiday resulted in zero property damage and no reported injuries.
Pairett credited much of this success to proactive residents. By the time firefighters arrived at most fire calls, property owners had already doused the flames. Neighbors were actively using garden hoses, buckets of water, and shovels to throw dirt on unruly sparks before they could spread.
Managing the Fourth of July requires a joint effort between the GFD and the Gallup Police Department. During the meeting, Pairett explained why police officers, rather than firefighters, typically take the lead on fireworks calls.
“A lot of people who use fireworks also partake in adult beverages when they’re using fireworks, and they may not always be happy that we’re talking to them about fireworks,” he said.
Because more pressing emergencies often arise during the holiday, both departments classify fireworks complaints as low-priority. However, the GPD stays involved for safety reasons: a reported firework can easily turn out to be a gunshot.
Officers responded to one such incident this year when a man fired a gun into the air.
REWORKING THE FIREWORKS/NOISE ORDINANCE
With the holiday dust settled, Pairett transitioned to a broader issue: updating the city’s noise ordinance.
In the days leading up to and during the Fourth of July, both the GFD and GPD receive a flood of complaints from residents who simply want to sleep while neighbors detonate fireworks late into the night.
Pairett pointed out that the current fireworks ordinance lacks clear language regarding exactly when people can and cannot set them off. To fix this, he suggested integrating fireworks regulations directly into the city’s nuisance noise ordinance. He plans to return to the council at a later date with a formal proposal.
THE BIG QUESTION: WHY NO CITY FIREWORKS?
Finally, Pairett tackled a question that both he and city councilors faced repeatedly leading up to the holiday: Why isn’t the City of Gallup hosting a fireworks show when local businesses are?
The answer lies in a mix of contracts, insurance, and licensing.
In 2023, the city signed a four-year contract with Pixis Drones. That agreement wrapped up its final year this July, leaving the city to find a new vendor—whether drone or traditional fireworks—for future celebrations.
While local vendors sell standard consumer-grade fireworks to the public, city insurance regulations require Gallup to use professional-grade “display” fireworks for official events.
Operating display fireworks requires a specialized pyrotechnics license. Pairett said finding a certified technician in New Mexico is incredibly difficult.
Gallup’s Purchasing Director, Frances Rodriguez, assured the council that her department is already hunting for next year’s vendor.
Rodriguez said that prior to signing the drone contract in 2023, she had searched “high and low” for a licensed display pyrotechnician with no success. In fact, she has been searching for nearly five years.
Most certified pyrotechnicians lock themselves into 10-year contracts that keep them booked solid every Fourth of July. Rodriguez even asked display providers if they would be willing to get certified, but none took her up on the offer. While the city recently issued a request for proposals for future shows, they have yet to receive any bids.
Councilor Sarah Piano, Dist. 3, noted that while she has enjoyed the Pixis drone shows over the last few years, the technology does have one minor drawback. Depending on where spectators sit in town, some of the drone coordinates and designs appeared backward.
For now, Gallup officials are playing a waiting game to see what kind of spectacle they can secure to celebrate America’s 251st birthday next summer.
GFD call stats for Fourth of July
22 calls for emergency medical services
1 motor vehicle collision
12 fire-related calls (between 9:00 pm and midnight)
26 total calls for the day
