Expect New Year's Eves on Oahu to be quieter and less smoky after the 2011 celebration.
A bill the City Council approved yesterday will continue to allow firecrackers by permit, but will bar sale, purchase or use of all other consumer fireworks, including sparklers, fountains and so-called "paperless" firecrackers.
The 7-2 vote after came after more than four hours of testimony and debate yesterday, and months of deliberating before that. Supporters of stricter fireworks legislation initially sought a ban on firecrackers, too, but backed off that idea after several Chinese community leaders said firecrackers are a cultural and religious custom for many of them.
Under the bill, Oahu residents would be able to get a permit to use firecrackers between 9 p.m. New Year's Eve and 1 a.m. New Year's Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Chinese New Year's Day and from 1 to 9 p.m. on the Fourth of July.
A permit could also be obtained for "cultural use" between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on the day requested.
The bill says cultural uses include, but are not limited to, "births, deaths, weddings, grand openings, blessings, anniversaries."
While some critics have questioned the value in eliminating all "novelty" fireworks but leaving firecrackers, city fire officials pointed out that firecrackers make up only a small portion of all fireworks sold during the holidays.
Assistant Fire Chief Manny Neves said it's the duty of firefighters to protect life, property and the environment.
"We feel fireworks is bad on all counts," he said.
"It's not just illegal aerials," Neves said. "All fireworks start fires."
While the department would prefer a total ban, "we feel that limiting the use to firecrackers only ... is a great step in the right direction," he said.
Council members said they made the effective date of the bill Jan. 2 to allow vendors to sell off their stock for the New Year's holiday.
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