Honolulu residents now able to pick up firecracker permits

Firecracker permits are available at satellite city halls through Dec. 21, the Honolulu Fire Department announced.

Since Jan. 2, 2011, the only fireworks Oahu residents may use legally are firecrackers. All other fireworks, including fountains, sparklers and other novelty fireworks, are banned.

A firecracker permit costs $25 and entitles the bearer to buy up to 5,000 individual firecrackers. There is no limit on how many permits a person may buy.

Honolulu’s fireworks ordinance also requires that firecrackers be purchased from licensed retailers from 12:01 a.m. Dec. 26 to midnight Dec. 31.

For New Year’s Eve celebrations, firecrackers may be set off from 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 until 1 a.m. on Jan. 1.

Last December, the first New Year’s celebration under the fireworks ordinance, Oahu residents bought 8,461 firecracker permits — down from 10,008 in December 2010.

The new law coincided with a slight decline in 911 calls for fireworks-related fires, medical emergencies and other incidents. There were 234 calls between 8 a.m. Dec. 31 and 8 a.m. Jan. 1, down from 274 over the same period the year before.

Firecracker permits sold for the Fourth of July holiday have seen a steep decline. The city sold 174 firecracker permits for July 2010 — the last Fourth of July before the current rules — but just 95 in July 2011 and 28 in July 2012.å