Savannah police gear up to protect community from possible dangers during New Year's Eve

Road closure and fireworks safety

Officers will be lining the streets of downtown Savannah this weekend, working Friday evening into Saturday morning. Residents and guests who drive into the city should keep in mind that River Street will be closed to vehicle traffic starting at 8 p.m. However, Pagliaro said they will “play City Market by ear,” only closing down the roads around the area if appropriate.

Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Credit: Richard Burkhart/Savannah Morning News

Pagliaro said regular patrols will still be out in all the other neighborhoods throughout the city.

The cutoff time to launch fireworks is 1 a.m. Pagliaro warned celebrators that it is illegal to launch fireworks in the street and that it should be contained to your driveway or your yard. He also asked that people keep veterans and pets in mind if they decide to create their own fireworks display.

“Please be conscious that some people in your neighborhood may have PTSD. We have a lot of veterans in this town. Be conscious of them. A constant stream of fireworks can be disturbing to them,” Pagliaro said. “It can also be disturbing to pets. If you have pets who are especially sensitive to sound, make sure they're secured. Inevitably pets wind up getting loose because they get scared.”

While fireworks are legal all-year round and it being common for people to pop fireworks the day before New Year's Eve and after celebrations end, Pagliaro said the cutoff for those days outside of New Year's Eve is 10 p.m.

Social distance and don't drive drunk

There’s been a recent rise in COVID and flu cases in Chatham County due to the new omicron variant and gatherings during the holidays.

With no current restrictions in Savannah that prohibit large gatherings, SPD is limited in what they can do outside of asking people to social distance, but hopes people take caution to prevent it from becoming a super-spreader event.

“We're asking you if you come out and are coming down to enjoy yourselves, please enjoy yourselves responsibly. Come in groups. Be safe,” Pagliaro said. “Be aware that there's potential for this to be a super-spreader event. So, social distance and keep those things in mind.”

Credit: Steve Bisson/SavannahNow.com

Credit: Steve Bisson/SavannahNow.com

During New Year’s Eve, drunk driving concerns increase and is cited as one of the most dangerous holidays for deadly crashes involving drunk drivers.

“If you drink, don’t drive,” Pagliaro warned. “Uber will be out. Lyft will be out, as well as our local cab companies, and I believe AAA. There are certainly better options to get you home than getting behind the wheel of a car if you’ve been drinking.”

Celebratory gunfire

Pagliaro warned those considering participating in celebratory gunfire that they could face charges and discouraged residents from bringing in the New Year with gunfire rather than fireworks.

“There is no sense of going out and shooting your guns in the air on New Year's Eve. It is one: irresponsible. What goes up, must come down. And inevitably, someone gets hit by a stray bullet somewhere in the United States on New Year's Eve if people go out and think that celebratory gunfire is a good idea,” Pagliaro said.

ShotSpotter, a company that can identify whether or not a gunshot was fired in an area, will be in effect all night. The system will help officers differentiate between fireworks and gunfire and officers will be dispatched to the area where shots were detected.

“I know it's a big holiday,” Pagliaro said. “So enjoy it. Do it responsibly. Let's not make this an event that affects future events.”

Laura Nwogu is the quality of life reporter for Savannah Morning News. Contact her at lnwogu@gannett.com. Twitter: @lauranwogu_

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah police gear up to protect community from possible dangers during New Year's Eve