Firecracker permits Shoppers looking for fireworks at Daiei's Kaheka store yesterday shunned the firecracker display and instead concentrated on the novelty items, the fireworks that don't require a permit.
fizzle as shoppers
avoid $25-a-pop cost
Some feel the fee to buy
5,000 is little bang for the buckSee Also: Ala Moana plans fireworks show
By Lisa Asato
lasato@starbulletin.comMost said the permit's cost was the reason for their loss of interest in the popular red firecrackers.
"Twenty-five dollars for 5,000, that's kinna stiff," said Debbie Lau, who was browsing the novelty shelves with her family.
Lau said she hoped to spend no more than $25 on fireworks for her two children, Nicole, 10, and James, 7.
The Laus used to pop the red firecracker on holidays, but given the permit law, her family "is no longer interested," she said. She said her family came to check out Daiei's selection, and her daughter, Nicole, was looking for new varieties.
"I like the big ones," Nicole said. "Loud and big."
Benny Kai of Kahuku said that before the permit law he spent hundreds of dollars for the "red bombs," those 10,000, 20,000 and 50,000 strings of red firecrackers topped with a bomb.
He agreed with Lau's assessment that $25 was too costly for 5,000 firecrackers, and he suggested a more reasonable alternative. "For every $1 you put in, (you) can pop 100,000. That's all right," he said.
This Independence Day he planned to focus all his fireworks buying on his six children, age 3 to 18. "It's more for the kids now rather than the adults," he said.
Fireworks may be set off from 1 to 9 p.m. today
It is unlawful to:
>> Throw lit fireworks from a moving vehicle.
>> Set off fireworks near schools, hospitals and animal facilities.
>> Set off fireworks in parks, cane fields, places of worship and public throughways.
>> Ignite fireworks within 500 feet of any hotel.
>> Remove or extract the fireworks' contents.
>> Sell, offer for sale or give fireworks to minors. It is also unlawful for minors to possess or set off fireworks without adult supervision.
Since last year, adults wanting to buy firecrackers were required to get a $25 permit that allowed them to purchase 5,000 firecrackers. There is no limit on the numbers of permits someone can buy.
Statewide, permit sales were low for the Fourth of July.
At midday yesterday the neighbor island counties reported selling a total of 55 permits -- 20 for Maui County, 15 for Kauai County and 17 for the Big Island.
The City and County of Honolulu reported selling 94 permits, with more than half sold yesterday.
By comparison, 12 permits were sold for Chinese New Years and 6,500 were sold for New Year's Eve on Oahu, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa.
Capt. Richard Soo of the Honolulu Fire Department said the department "was very happy with the 94 total permits (issued) on Oahu," but was quick to add that sparklers and smoke bombs can also cause brush fires and eye and hand injuries.
"We still are cautious as to what (today) will result in given weather conditions -- no wind, dry brush," he said. "Those factors can still make it very uncomfortable for people with breathing problems."