Fire and public-safety officials on Tuesday encouraged Portlanders to follow the citywide ban on the use and sale of fireworks ahead of July 4, when the number of emergency calls typically double that of the average day.
Officials held a press conference at Fire & Rescue Station 21, alongside doctors and a military veteran who shared how fireworks can especially harm people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as well as pets. They also touted a new tool Portlanders can use to report firework use instead of calling 911.
“Don’t think, ‘This doesn’t apply to me,’” said Rick Graves, a spokesperson for Portland Fire & Rescue. “It’s not silly. It’s for the safety of everybody in our community, whether it be a pet owner, whether it be your pet, whether it be your neighbor who has PTSD, for whatever reason.”…