Posted on: Thursday, December 30, 2004
EDITORIAL
Please take precaution with your fireworks
If the surge in recent permit sales is an indicator, we'd better gear up for a loud and smoke-filled New Year's Eve. As of last week, the city issued more than four times the number of permits compared to this time last year.
Anticipating the increased demand, many vendors have doubled their supplies from last year.
Once again, police and fire officials are forced to be extra vigilant, wary of fireworks-related fires, injuries or worse. And those with asthma or other respiratory ailments are forced to stay indoors and take additional precautions. And forecasts for high winds could make matters worse.
Since a flat-out ban on fireworks won't happen any time soon, we urge strict enforcement of permit rules and on illegal pyrotechnics that inevitably turn up in urban Ho-nolulu and other densely populated neighborhoods. The $25 permits allow for the purchase of no more than 5,000 firecrackers, which can be set off only from 9 p.m. New Year's Eve through 1 a.m. Jan. 1.
Although permits are not required for "novelty" fireworks, if not used properly, they can also be dangerous, particularly for children.
For those who insist on ringing in the New Year with fireworks, we ask that you make safety — especially around children — a priority. Here are just a few safety tips, courtesy of the Honolulu Fire Department.
• Use only approved fireworks purchased from licensed dealers. And always read and follow warnings and instructions. • Light fireworks on flat surfaces away from buildings, dry vegetation, flammable materials, and make sure other people are out of range. • Never set off fireworks in glass or metal containers. • Always closely supervise children. • Have a water hose nearby. But the best option, as we see it, is to leave the fireworks to the pros. Take in one of the free fireworks displays, such as the ones at the Aloha Tower Marketplace or off the Halekulani in Waikiki— and have a safe and prosperous New Year.
