New Year’s Eve Firework tips for Lahaina residents; pets

HONOLULU (KHON2) — The Department of Law Enforcement is tightening it’s grip on illegal fireworks.

On Friday, the department announced another 35,000 pounds were seized, on the heels of a 34,000-pound bust earlier this week.

It’s the third shipping container within the last two weeks discovered during routine tariff inspections that contained illegal fireworks.

The Dept. said the Illegal Fireworks Task Force officers detained the container and will complete the seizure of the fireworks upon the execution of a search warrant.

The fireworks were declared as “other items.”

DLE officials said the fireworks were likely destined for the black market on a neighbor island. To date, the task force has seized nearly 105,000 pounds of illegal fireworks since its inception about five months ago.

Many communities are eager for quieter nights, especially Lahaina residents, and hope this crackdown will make a difference.

“Loud bangs and big noises can also trigger people especially if they have background or something that they were triggered by those noises, also the smell of fire can trigger them,” explained Dr. Danielle Rae Daniels, who is a crisis therapist and flew to Lahaina to help residents after the fires.

She said it’s okay for residents to be feeling grief this holiday season, whether they lost their home, or a loved one.

It’s also normal to be feeling anxious about fireworks.

“The grief cycle is going to continue for a while, and you’re going to bounce around all those areas of grief,” she said. “Normally this time of year you have Christmas and New Year’s and you have your family, maybe you lost loved ones, or maybe your home where you hosted is gone, and you don’t have that stability you normally do around the holidays and that can be triggering,” Dr. Daniels said.

She said it’s normal to have nerves about something that can cause a fire, especially if people aren’t being careful.

She recommends residents try ‘Systematic Desensitization Therapy, which exposes a person to certain traumatic situations little by little to overcome it.

“First, write down your fears, write them on paper and be honest with yourself. Second, do deep muscle relaxation techniques, like meditation, and say phrases like ‘I am safe,’ do muscle relaxation from head to toe and visualize a peaceful or calm situation,” she said.

“With this, we identify the fear, and do little exposures of the fear.”

She said residents can also pack a to-go back to help create a sense of control.

“When we’re in a stressed mode it causes neurochemical firing throughout the entire body that causes an alert state, so if we can do things like those deep muscle relaxation techniques, or adding aromatherapy like the smell of lavender is calming can help,” Dr. Daniels recommended.

“Reminding yourself ‘I am safe, I am safe,’ and if we have to leave like before I have my things ready to go,” she said about residents feeling uneasy about NYE. “So feeling prepared, although most likely nothing will happen, but having the feeling that it could and having that emergency response to keep yourself calm you can think more clearly.”

She also recommends residents going up Haleakala or finding a peaceful place Upcountry, away from the noise, and above the chaos. “Take a journal with you, write down your emotions or any feelings you have, but being above it can also help as well,” she said.

Just like pets, closing the windows, putting on the air conditioner, and loud televisions, can help drown out the noise happening outside.

The Hawaiian Humane Society reminds pet owners that our furry friends aren’t fans of fireworks either.

“We see an enormous influx of animals on January 1, 2, and 3, because the number of pets that escaped their safe homes,” explained Brandy Shimabukuro, communications manager of the Hawaiian Humane Society.

She said pet owners should talk to their veterinarian about medications like Benadryl but also consider pheromone sprays for comfort. She said they can be found at all pet stores and brings a calming feeling to your pet.

She reminds people to bring pets inside, turn on TVs to drown out noise, close doors and windows, and make sure your pet is micro chipped so they don’t escape.

She said animals can jump over a six-foot fence if they are feeling stressed.

“Keep them away from doors, high traffic areas, away from visitors, so they can have a quiet area where they can decompress, maybe give them some exercise in the day time so they’re extra tired at night when we know fireworks are going to be more amped up,” Shimabukuro added.

Signs your dog is stressed includes pacing, excessive whining, panting, licking lips, and excessive yawning.

“Make sure you’re not leaving them unattended outside that is really important,” she said. “An animal experiencing stress will attempt to flee and could hurt themselves in that desperate attempt to get away to search for safety.”

She said 75 percent of lost animals were reunited with their owners last New Year’s Eve.

If you find a pet or lose one file a report on the HHS website.