New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration: a bottle of champagne, a plate of oliebollen, family and friends visiting, and, of course, fireworks. Unfortunately, however, the latter often causes a nuisance. Nuisance experienced by residents, but also by pets and other animals. And that’s not even mentioning the risk of property damage, fire, injury, or worse. This is an issue in every municipality, including Helmond, which has simplified the process for reporting fireworks-related nuisance since 2018.
When the Fireworks Nuisance Hotline, a national initiative launched by various municipal GroenLinks factions, was discontinued in 2018, a gap emerged in the system for reporting fireworks-related nuisances. Some municipalities, such as Helmond, were quick to fill that gap. Alex van de Westerlo, an information hub advisor in the Safety and Compliance Department, is closely involved in this effort. It started with a survey conducted among citizens regarding nuisance. The results showed that a large proportion of residents were bothered by the loud bangs of fireworks. “That initially led to the creation of fireworks-free zones and a plan to address further nuisance. Those were among the triggers for allowing citizens to report nuisance via an app. And we’ve been using that app, Mobile Alert, for five years now.”
The app and the dashboard displaying the reports give the municipality a clear picture of the nuisance and how it is perceived. And thanks to the increase in app usage since 2018, the municipality can identify trends. This allows Alex to see which neighborhoods have more fireworks. “We get a better picture of how residents experience the situation. It quickly becomes clear that in Neighborhood X, it’s actually not normal for so many fireworks to be set off. That ensures we put these kinds of issues on the agenda with the police, special enforcement officers, and youth workers.”
100% data-driven
Thanks to all the data collected, the municipality is able to intervene early. For example, an action plan is already in place by August. Clear agreements are made with the partners, and potential nuisances are anticipated early on. “We’re staying ahead of the curve by intervening immediately, because we now have insight into the scale and location of the problem. It’s about recognizing the signs and acting on them. This leads to better agreements. The special enforcement officers intervene when disturbances occur, the police identify trends in neighborhoods where illegal fireworks dealers operate, and youth workers can engage with young people in a targeted manner.”
This is a prime example of data-driven policy and its implementation. The data allows for clear agreements to be made, action to be taken, and a reduction in fireworks-related disturbances to be achieved. In 2021, Alex saw fewer reports of disturbances compared to 2020. “There were fewer reports of disturbances both throughout 2021 and on a monthly basis. It even encourages young people. Young people in Helmond took it upon themselves to see what they could do. For example, they started talking to other young people and explained the consequences of fireworks in their immediate surroundings.”
The Power of Simplicity
According to Alex, the app has made a significant contribution. “Just having a clear picture of what’s happening outside—where and to what extent—is incredibly valuable.” Reporting fireworks-related disturbances is very easy with Mobile Alert. Residents can report a disturbance in four simple steps: open the app, select the type of disturbance, add any comments and/or photos if desired, and send. The location is sent automatically, so there’s no need to type in an address. The BOAs receive an alert immediately and can head straight to the location using the data. And the municipality sees the data in a clear dashboard, allowing them to identify trends and developments. Users can even leave their contact information to be informed later about the resolution of the issue.
And that’s what makes the app successful. “When action is taken and troublemakers are caught, it leads to less nuisance. Feedback encourages more people to use it.”
“We also encourage growth by providing feedback and highlighting the app’s benefits. In addition, we share the viewer—which contains targeted information—with residents. This gives them insight into the reports and usage patterns. As usage increases, it encourages other residents to use the app as well,” Alex explains.
Alex sees that Mobile Alert is working. “As far as I’m concerned, we’re going to keep using it. The reporting process works. Its strength is that you can file a report in just three steps—it’s simple. The option to leave contact information for follow-up is helpful for both the public and us. It makes it easier for us to get in touch with the reporter, make plans, and take action. Firework-related disturbances are now transparent, and perhaps we can also use this for more complex issues.”
More information
Niels is the Government Market Manager at IMAGEM. He helps government agencies continuously work smarter and more effectively, and fulfills his role by supporting organizations in solving their challenges. Want to learn more? Send Niels an email or send a message via our contact form.
Niels van de Graaf
Government Market Manager
