Pursuing safer conditions, Oahu residents turn in fireworks at amnesty event
By Eric Naktin
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HONOLULU (KITV) — Recent events on New Year’s Eve in Aliamanu involving fireworks that led to multiple fatalities, plus many others severely being injured, largely contributed to an amnesty event Saturday.
It was an opportunity to turn in fireworks and firecrackers at Aloha Stadium.
While all of the contents collected throughout the day and specific numbers were not confirmed, many items were legally bought while others may have been completely illegal, brought in from foreign countries.
Jeff Llacuna with HPD Bomb Squad told Island News, “The whole idea is to get these (fireworks, firecrackers, explosives) off the street and keep it safe – so today there will be no charges.”
Among the goals was providing a safe environment, and make people feel comfortable.
A man named Wayne from Pearl City stated, “My in-laws passed away about, ten, twelve years ago, and I was cleaning out their garage closet, I found, some packaged fireworks, so I came to drop them off, I didn’t know what to do with them.”
“The tragedy on New Year’s Day was so sad, people’s enjoyment and ego boosting, shooting the biggest, loudest fireworks they can all year round, and (they) don’t care about other people and their neighbors. New Year’s Eve, I observed teenagers, unsupervised, by parents shooting off aerial fireworks, so the sooner we get rid of that and out of the hands of people not supposed to be handling fireworks, it’ll be safer for everybody”, added Wayne.
Kaimuki resident Cody Yonamine told Island News, “A lot of people that passed away, and died, (New Year’s Eve) it’s kind of tough, so that’s one of the main reason’s I’m here today, to stop any illegal fireworks, even if it’s not illegal, sometimes, I’d rather just drop it off, making sure I don’t do any illegal stuff, I probably won’t ever do fireworks ever again.”
Older fireworks, firecrackers can be as potentially as damaging as the newer ones.
“People don’t realize how dangerous – especially old fireworks can be, what happens is fireworks, (potentially) stay in a box for ten years, start to deteriorate, so if you shake the box, step on it, drop it, etc, loose powder inside can cause the box to spark… causing possibly a fire or explosion”, added Jeff Llacuna with the bomb squad.
Director of the Dept. of Law Enforcement Jordan Lowe stated, “Our purpose is to provide an avenue, for people to safely dispose of their fireworks – that goes back to individuals who may have had them for ten years, forgotten about them to ones who just recently purchased and realized the danger of it.”
As far as volume of fireworks and firecrackers collected Saturday, Lowe said, “It’s been pretty steady, which we’re happy about, storing this type of material, in your home or garage can be a potential fire hazard, we will process it, secure it in a safe location and then dispose of it.”
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