DC July 4th aftermath by the numbers: 911 calls, medical responses and arrests

Published July 5, 2026 8:18 AM EDT

As the final echoes of the "Salute to America" grand fireworks show faded over the National Mall, emergency personnel wrapped up one of the busiest nights of the year.

According to a final report released by the National Special Security Event (NSSE) Joint Information Center, a combination of extreme call volumes, hundreds of medical evaluations and scattered fireworks-related arrests kept first responders operating at maximum capacity throughout the holiday.

Here is how the numbers are broken down by the numbers at the close of July 4th.

911 calls

By the numbers:

The D.C. Office of Unified Communications faced an unprecedented influx of calls as the fireworks got underway. Citywide, dispatchers handled 4,165 calls to 911, marking an increase of about 1,150 calls over a standard summer Saturday.

The 9 p.m. hour, right as the fireworks display was launching, was officially logged as the single busiest hour of the entire calendar year for D.C.'s 911 system.

Unsurprisingly, the top driver for emergency calls citywide was illegal or hazardous fireworks, accounting for 506 calls.

Medical responses

Local perspective:

With massive crowds packing the National Mall, medical tents and local hospitals were kept running around the clock. Between midnight on July 3rd and midnight on July 4th, agencies logged 695 total patient contacts and dozens of hospital transports directly from the event area.

DC Fire and EMS reported 92 patient contacts and 34 patient transports from the National Mall. George Washington University reported 289 patient contacts from the National Mall. The United States Department of Health and Human Services reported 314 patient contacts.

Law enforcement

What we know:

Despite the massive crowds, law enforcement officials reported that the event remained largely peaceful, with only a handful of isolated incidents on the National Mall itself:

The Metropolitan Police Department recorded 1 arrest at the National Mall. At approximately 8:42 p.m., an adult female was taken into custody at 809 Constitution Ave., NW for failure to obey and resisting arrest.

U.S. Park Police reported 3 arrests on the Mall, while the U.S. Secret Service reported 0 arrests for the day.

Away from the National Mall, MPD focused its efforts on enforcing local fireworks laws, resulting in 11 confirmed citywide arrests on fireworks-related charges. 

Citywide reports

Big picture view:

Beyond the National Mall, DC Fire and EMS responded to 905 distinct incidents across the District, heavily weighted toward medical emergencies:

  • 614 EMS responses
  • 229 fire calls
  • 62 miscellaneous emergency calls

The Source: Information from this article was provided by the National Special Security Event (NSSE) Joint Information Center.

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