Historically during July 4th celebrations, 9-1-1 systems become overloaded with non-emergency calls related to fireworks and other celebrations. Emergency response officials across King County urge citizens not to call 9-1-1 unless a life-threatening emergency exits and there is a need for immediate help from police, fire, or medics.

"Unnecessary 9-1-1 calls can cause problems for our system," said Jeff Bowers, acting director of the King County Office of Emergency Management. "These calls block other callers who have life-threatening emergencies from reaching 9-1-1 and critical services they need."