The Barton County Commission at a special meeting last Thursday approved allowing rural county residents to shoot fireworks on Sunday, July 3, in addition to Monday, July 4, as was allowed under the county’s current resolution.

“We made a lot of people happy with that,” said District 5 Commissioner Jennifer Schartz, speaking during the commission meeting Wednesday morning. It was a compromise between allowing fireworks for the week leading to the Fourth and no change at all reached after much discussion with a host of fire chiefs from around the county.

“We need to use that as a starting point for next year,” Schartz said. The extension this Fourth weekend was only for this year, and officials want to revisit the issue before next year.

Even so, first responders across the county remained busy over the two-day span, said 911 Director Dana Popp. She ran through the number of calls, comparing them to those last year.

Fourth of July call stats for Sunday and Monday, 2021 and 2022:

• 911 calls – 141 and 171.

• Communications administrative calls – 340 and 367.

• Total – 481 and 538.

Fire-related stats for Sunday and Monday, 2021 and 2022:

• Fireworks – 21 and 26.

• Structure fires – one and three.

• All other fires (grass, trash, vehicle, utility lines) – six and 44.

Where were the fire calls?:

• 32 in Great Bend.

• 12 in Hoisington.

• Four in Ellinwood.

• Two in Claflin.

• Two in Olmitz.

“Fireworks, high temps and high winds are contributing factors,” Popp said, adding the call volume was up some. They also had 40 fireworks complaints over the two-day span.

Looking at the numbers, “Great Bend got overwhelmed,” Popp said. Fire fighters from Claflin, Ellinwood and Hoisington pitched in to cover some of the calls, especially those in rural parts of the county.

Commissioners praised this cooperation. Chairman Shawn Hutchinson said he wasn’t surprised by this cooperative spirit, noting it was part of what he likes about Barton County.

This feeling extends to police departments and sheriff’s offices, Bellendir said. “We have a good working relationship with the law enforcement agencies in the county and in the area.”

Making all of this easier is the State of Kansas’ ongoing switch to 800 MHz radios for first-responder communications. Most Barton County entities have made the change.

In short, the new radio system allows for statewide crystal-clear transmissions with all four corners of Kansas. It consists of a network of local- and state-operated towers.

“It’s been an expensive transition,” Bellendir said. “But, it’s well worth it.”