EVERY 4TH OF JULY, ALBUQUERQUE FIRE RESCUE RESPONDS TO HUNDREDS OF REPORTS OF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS. BUT LT. TOM RUIZ WITH A-F-R SAYS DON’T CALL 9-1-1 IF YOU SPOT SOMETHING. INSTEAD USE THE CITY’S ONE A-B-Q APP. RUIZ TELLS NEWSRADIO KKOB THAT WILL ALLOW FIREFIGHTERS TO RESPOND TO MORE PRESSING EMERGENCIES. TWO YEARS AGO, RUIZ SAYS THERE WERE 500 9-1-1 CALLS FROM PEOPLE REPORTING ILLEGAL FIREWORKS. THAT NUMBER DROPPED TO 98 LAST YEAR AFTER THE APP WAS IMPLEMENTED.
