Honolulu residents can only wonder whether someone like young Cydnee Somera must suffer again this year because of our inability to take a decisive stand against fireworks at New Year's Eve celebrations.

Cydnee is the 11-year-old girl who suffered serious injury to her hand during last year's revels, when an improvised explosive device detonated in the street near an 'Aiea home. Twelve months and four surgeries later, she still has impairment in the use of her fingers.

The current scheme of permits and regulation, in place at the time, was powerless to stop the two men charged in the crime from constructing the device. Nor has it prevented residents from setting off illegal aerials and an occasional pipe bomb in 'Ewa Beach for the past month.

It's distressing enough that errant aerial launches pose a hazard to property, but even more worrisome is that they provide the raw materials for homemade bombs used to inflict damage intentionally.

Fire officials have appealed to the public for its cooperation with regulations that are aimed at maintaining public safety while perpetuating an observance that some attach to cultural custom.

Clearly, the public has been unable to police itself adequately and, just as clearly, culture has very little to do with what the observance has become.

It's time to heed the advice of law enforcement and press lawmakers for a ban of fireworks in the new year.