Is It New Year's Eve Yet?

Wow! Although we previously made it a point to visit the islands in each season, it appears West Oahu is a unique experience around the time of New Year celebrations. About a week ago tents have shown up along the roadside selling fireworks - even K Mart is selling them. Since before Christmas we have heard explosions/bombs at various times. Now that we have reached the 31st of December it sounds like a war zone out there!

The noisy fireworks are saved for the daytime while the light show type began at dusk. The noise is of such a level that car alarms are triggered here and there. Luckily John does not suffer from PTSD. He said the sounds are exactly like when he was in Viet Nam. When sounds like this would start the troops grabbed their weapons and dove for cover! We Googled (new verb) "history fireworks Hawaii" and found several interesting snippets:

"While most of America sets off fireworks on the Fourth of July, Hawaii saves its best blasts for New Year's Eve, when Asian cultures say firecrackers ward off evil spirits.

And each year, the pyrotechnics make Hawaii look like a war zone, touching off a few house fires, causing occasional eye and hand injuries, and creating so much smoke that people with asthma and other respiratory conditions suffer.. . . "

And ------
"EWA BEACH, Hawaii -- The illegal fireworks complaints are starting to roll in on Oahu, and it is not even Christmas yet.
Residents in Ewa Beach said they were bombarded with illegal firework bombs on Monday night and they want it to stop. The problem is not just in West Oahu, but for some reason this week has been particularly noisy, and frustrated families are turning to their lawmakers for help.
Rep. Kymberly Pine received eight complaints on Tuesday morning alone.
"We have noticed an increase in calls during the week. People are just getting fed up with the illegal fireworks in our neighborhood," Pine said.
The bombs have been particularly heartbreaking for one couple whose special needs child is shaken by the loud booms.
"Our youngest is special needs. He is 3 years old. So with that, pipe bombs going off, it really startles him because he is sensitive to noise," Ewa Beach resident Tessa Smith said.
Those noises can trigger seizures so it is particularly worrisome for the family.
There are also the pet problems.
"They bark quite a bit, and we hear fireworks right now, and I guess for the neighbors it's the dogs as well, because they are startled. They bark and are a nuisance," Ewa Beach resident John Smith said.
Pine said her dogs get spooked, too. The area lawmaker said many people have e-mailed that they are forced to medicate their animals more than just for one night.
"It seems like its starting earlier and the frequency is definitely worse than it was last year," Pine said.
Those who have put up with the fireworks since Halloween said enough is enough.
"If the community is more active in reporting these crimes right away, and more active more proactive in reporting these crimes that would help police a lot,"
Every year at around this time, there is talk of a fireworks ban and better inspections at the docks.
The Honolulu Police Department said it expects enforcement of illegal fireworks to be about the same as last year. The department says it issued seven citations and made two arrests last year."

Guaranteed no one will sleep through this night!