Hawaii survived its ninth consecutive New Year's Eve without deaths or major injuries from personal fireworks, but the reverberations continue. Honolulu's new police chief has followed his predecessors and a succession of fire chiefs in calling for a ban of such activities but their messages have fallen on damaged ears. Legislators should not wait for a disaster before creating such a prohibition.

As in the past, pyrotechnics were launched to ring in the New Year around the world, but celebrants have come to recognize that experts are needed for what should be confined to public displays. Fireworks set off in New York's Time Square, from Las Vegas casino rooftops and, for the first time, from the top of the world's tallest building in Dubai were handled as safe public endeavors by those who knew what they were doing.

Honolulu police responded to 1,860 complaints from Dec. 26 through last Saturday, compared with 1,361 in 2008. Dr. Randy Wong, director of Straub Clinic & Hospital's burn unit, reported a sharp rise over the past week in patients seeking treatment of fireworks-related injuries.

Hawaii legislators have been reluctant to impose a ban on personal fireworks, choosing instead to restrict the kinds of fireworks allowed by inspecting imports that don't meet the criteria.

Authorities seized 589 cases of illegal fireworks weighing 13,400 pounds from a shipping container last month, but the effort generally has been futile. A 43-year-old Waipahu man was charged with a Class C felony for possessing fireworks without a permit, while lesser citations went to 78 adults and 15 juveniles.

Some of the enforcement was due to a stepped-up effort by police. However, Maj. Clayton Kau, a police spokesman, said officers do not personally see violations so must rely on statements from witnesses, who too often are reluctant to report on neighbors' violations.

Kau also noted that responding to such complaints “;takes away from (responding to) other emergencies and the damage to property they cause”;—an equivalent to collateral damage.

At the same time, the American Lung Association points out that 175,000 Honolulu residents have lung disease. It can only recommend that people with breathing problems stay indoors with doors and windows closed.

The 1998 New Year's Eve celebration was described by then-Gov. Ben Cayetano as “;utter madness,”; but his call for a ban was ignored.

State legislators should finally accept the proposal to be presented for the sixth time by Rep. K. Mark Takai to impose a ban on all fireworks except for public displays or for religious or ceremonial occasions.