New Year’s Eve firecrackers said to be quieter than usual

Much of Oahu experienced a quieter-than-usual New Year’s Eve, which may have been due to a shortage of fireworks.

Police dispatchers received assorted calls pertaining to matters ranging from illegal aerials and "gnarly fireworks" to at least two dogs running on the freeway. Fireworks in the Kalihi area were quiet compared with the booming of previous years, one officer said.

"It’s been busier than a typical night but not nearly as busy as some of New Year’s Eves past," fire Capt. Terry Seelig said at about 9 p.m.

Prior to the legal 9 p.m. start of fireworks, Seelig received reports from fire stations that it had been less noisy than usual. He said there were about 12 dumpster or rubbish fires, but only two were reported as fireworks-related.

Police on the West side said aerials were going off as they usually do on New Year’s Eve.

Kaneohe was fairly quiet, but that might have been "the quiet before the storm," an officer said,

Fireworks vendor Archie Ahuna was the only retailer left with firecrackers for sale on New Year’s Eve after an unanticipated surge of firecracker permits were issued by the city this season, catching sellers off guard.

Jared Que, who works for Ahuna, said he and other workers needed to close up firecracker sales at 2 p.m. sharp in front of Aloha Vapor Co. because they were to set up the fireworks celebration at Kaka­ako Park, which was expected to draw thousands.

Que said it didn’t matter if people were still in line for firecrackers because the Kaka­ako event was a higher priority for the company. He encouraged those left without firecrackers Tuesday to attend the event instead.

The operation had been working out of a tent in front of Farrington High School but was forced to close by state officials Tuesday morning. They received permission to relocate to the parking lot in front of the e-cigarette shop, which is in a strip mall behind the Kalihi Diner’s Drive-In, a block away.

A steady stream of folks stood in line for up to a half-hour Tuesday morning.

Among them was Clifford Cooper, who drove to town from Wai­anae to make sure his four permits went to good use after he struck out at several retailers over the weekend. "I didn’t think it was going to run out so fast."

Pauoa resident Lisa Kim, who also used four permits to buy four bundles of firecrackers, said the city should change its fireworks law so that a person with a permit can use it beyond the specified time so $25 isn’t wasted. City officials say no refunds are allowed under the ordinance allowing the permits.

Kim also said the city should rethink the idea of allowing only firecrackers on New Year’s and should at least allow for the use of sparklers. "For the kids," she said.