Fireworks sales The air could be a lot clearer over Oahu this New Year's than in years past because fewer retailers have licenses to sell firecrackers and fewer people are expected to buy them, said Honolulu Fire Department spokesman Capt. Richard Soo.
expected to be lower
for New Year’s
Fewer retailers have obtained
» Fireworks permits
licenses, and fewer people
are expected to buy them
» Lung association offers tipsBy Mary Vorsino
mvorsino@starbulletin.comThat's good news to senior citizens, young children and lung disease sufferers -- those most susceptible to respiratory problems or serious injury because of fireworks smoke, said Gregg Kishaba, the American Lung Association of Hawaii's director of asthma education.
"There aren't many places where they can go" in densely populated areas to escape the smoke, he said.
The association is offering free masks and coordinating kamaaina rates at 13 hotels for those most at risk for breathing problems because of fireworks smoke.
The number of fireworks licenses issued to retailers this year has dropped to 93 from 111 last year, according to HFD statistics.
Likewise, the numbers of fireworks licenses issued so far for importation, wholesale and storage have dropped by half or more from last year.
The lower numbers may be the result of increased scrutiny of fireworks sellers and could mean a decrease in the number of fireworks purchased for New Year's celebrations, said Soo.
But even with fewer firecrackers sold, nonfireworks novelties like sparklers, which have increased in popularity in recent years as people become more and more unwilling to spend $25 on a fireworks permit, produce as much or even more smoke than traditional fireworks, he added.
Warren Tamamoto, a pulmonary physician at Kaiser Permanente, said exposure to fireworks smoke can exacerbate symptoms of everything from light asthma to emphysema.
Many of his patients "try to minimize their exposure by getting away, staying with relatives in the country or (going) to a hotel or a friend's house," he said.
But patients unable to leave areas prone to heavy and lingering fireworks smoke can stay in their room with their windows and doors closed and an air conditioner on, he said.
Today is the first day to buy firecrackers. As of Tuesday the City and County of Honolulu reported selling 186 fireworks permits.
The permits, available year-round for New Year's, Chinese New Year and the Fourth of July, are $25 each and are required to buy up to 5,000 firecrackers.
Soo said the number of permits sold will increase dramatically by tomorrow, but he also expects that number to follow a trend of decreased firecracker sales that began with the introduction of the permit system three years ago.
Last year at this time, 124 firecrackers permits had been sold for New Year's, but by Dec. 31, the last day to buy the permit, that number had jumped to 4,401. In 2000, 6,427 permits were sold for New Year's.
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Fireworks permits
>> You must be 18 years or older to buy a fireworks permit.
>> On Oahu, permits are issued at satellite city halls during normal business hours.
>> On the Big Island, permits are sold at the Central Fire Station in Hilo and at the Kona Service Center.
>> On Maui, permits are available until Tuesday during normal business hours at the Wailuku Fire Station.
>> On Kauai, permits are processed and approved at the Kauai Fire Department's headquarters at the Moikeha Building, Suite 295, on 4444 Rice St. The approved permit is then paid for at the Motor Vehicle Registration Office, located in the Kapule Building, Suite 466, on 4444 Rice St.
>> On Molokai and Lanai, permits are available at each island's county parks permit office this Saturday and Sunday only.
>> Fireworks may be exploded legally from 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. on New Year's Day.
>> The $25 permits cover 5,000 firecrackers. There is no limit on how many permits a person can buy.
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Senior citizens, young children and lung disease sufferers are at highest risk of serious injury because of exposure to fireworks smoke, said Gregg Kishaba, the American Lung Association of Hawaii's director of asthma education. Lung association
offers safety tipsStar-Bulletin staff
He suggests taking the following precautions on New Year's Eve to decrease problems because of fireworks smoke:
>> Stay indoors with windows and doors closed and air conditioner or air purifier on during the heaviest fireworks celebrations. >> Drink warm fluids to help "healthy" coughing. >> Make sure to have all medications available. >> Wear a paper or gauze mask to decrease smoke inhalation unless it interferes with regular breathing. Kaiser Permanente pulmonary physician Warren Tamamoto says residents concerned about how fireworks smoke will affect their health should contact their doctor for additional tips.
The lung association offers free dust respirators and coordinates kamaaina rates at 13 hotels to at-risk residents. For more suggestions on how to reduce fireworks smoke inhalation, receive a free mask or get a kamaaina room rate, contact the association at 537-5966, ext. 307.