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Valleywise Health burn center treating 6 people injured in Hawaii NYE firework tragedy

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Valleywise Health burn center treating 6 people injured in Hawaii NYE firework tragedy


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Six critically burned patients arrived in Phoenix from Hawaii on Saturday night, following a New Year’s Eve firework tragedy that left three dead and over 20 injured.

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The six patients, who are in their 20s and 30s, are in critical condition and have burns covering 60% to 80% of their bodies, said Valleywise Health chief clinical officer Dr. Michael White.

White said all six have a good chance of survival and that Valleywise Health does not expect more patients to be flown in.

Hawaii’s only burn center is located on Oahu where the incident took place, but beds are limited. White said the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix, Arizona’s only burn center and one of the largest in the country, has the ability to help.

“When the call is made, we’re more than happy, if we have the capacity and expertise, to help these patients,” White said.

According to Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, the six were chosen due to the severity of traumatic injuries and burns sustained during the incident. Green authorized a C-17 military transport to fly them into Phoenix and it arrived at Sky Harbor International Airport around 8:30 p.m. Saturday.

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On X, Phoenix mayor Kate Gallego applauded Phoenix Fire’s efforts to transport the patients from Sky Harbor.

Phoenix fire officials collaborated with both state and federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, to ensure the patients were transported to Valleywise Health safely.  

“This shows our dedication to saving lives beyond our state borders,” a Phoenix Fire Department spokesperson said.  

Among those flown into Arizona was a mother of a 3-month-old.

On the cusp of New Year’s Day, three people died and over 20 were injured from a firework explosion around midnight in the Aliamanu, also known as the Salt Lake, neighborhood near Pearl Harbor and Honolulu on Hawaii’s third largest island.

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What caused the explosion?

In a Jan. 1 press conference from the Honolulu Police Department, authorities said a person lit a firework “cake” containing around 50 individual aerial fireworks that somehow tipped over, shooting into other crates also filled with fireworks and resulting in the fatal explosion. Authorities estimated fireworks recovered at the scene cost tens of thousands of dollars.

“It looked like a war zone,” Honolulu Fire Chief Sheldon Hao said during the press conference.

Videos posted on social media appear to show dozens of fireworks exploding in a massive, bright blaze, with plumes of smoke rising in the air. The blast appeared to explode on a resident’s front lawn, along a dense neighborhood street dotted with parked cars.

Twenty-three adults and three children were seriously and critically injured in the explosion, though the estimate does not account for those who admitted themselves into the hospital, authorities said. Two women died at the scene and a third passed away a few hours later.

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“Make no mistake, it was a bomb … it was a firework bomb,” Gov. Green said.

Most people injured sustained burns, but injuries also included those caused by shrapnel that were “gruesome,” said Honolulu Emergency Services Department director Dr. Jim Ireland at the press conference.

Honolulu police said the person who lit the fireworks, as well as those who potentially supplied the illegal ones, may face criminal prosecution pending the investigation.

A fourth person died due to an unrelated firework incident in the Kalihi area about six miles away.

‘Best left to the professionals’

Fireworks are fundamentally dangerous, Dr. White from Valleywise Health noted. “They are explosive devices. (There’s) risk for burns and risk for injuries such as this,” he said.

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In Phoenix, any firework that is designed to shoot off the ground is illegal and can carry a misdemeanor charge, fines or jail time, according to Sgt. Brian Bower with Phoenix police.

Fines for illegal fireworks vary per city:

  • Avondale: $1,000. 
  • Chandler: $1,000. 
  • Gilbert: $1,000. 
  • Glendale: $1,500 on first offense, $2,000 on second offense. 
  • Goodyear: $1,000. 
  • Mesa: First offense $500; each subsequent offense between $1,000 and $2,500. 
  • Peoria: $750. 
  • Phoenix: $1,000. 
  • Queen Creek: $1,000. 
  • Tempe: $1,000. 
  • Tolleson: $250. 
  • Scottsdale: Minimum fine of $275. 
  • Surprise: No less than $150, no more than $1,000.

Cities also can hold residents liable for fire damage and emergency responses related to fireworks use. “Fireworks should be left to the professionals,” White said.

Multiple GoFundMe pages have been started to aid those who were injured or died in the New Year’s Eve incident.





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Hawaii Island asks for the public’s assistance finding elderly woman, Jacquelyn Glenn

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Hawaii Island asks for the public’s assistance finding elderly woman, Jacquelyn Glenn


HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii Island police are renewing their request for the public’s assistance in locating 82-year-old Jacquelyn Glenn of Kailua-Kona, who was reported missing by her family.

Police said she is considered endangered due to her age.

Glenn was last seen on Friday, Dec. 5, around 6:37 a.m., on the 75-200 block of Nani Kailua Dr. in Kailua-Kona.

She was wearing a peach-colored shirt, blue denim jeans, and black tennis shoes. She reportedly mentioned going to Hilo with friends, but did not say when she planned to return.

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She is described as 5′6″, 125 Ibs, with curly grey hair and brown eyes.

Police ask anyone with information on the whereabouts of Jacquelyn Glenn to call the Hawaii Police Department’s non-emergency line at (808) 935-3311.



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Hawaii gets nearly $190 million for rural health care | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaii gets nearly 0 million for rural health care | Honolulu Star-Advertiser




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Hawaiian announces $600 million airport, wide-body upgrades | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

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Hawaiian announces 0 million airport, wide-body upgrades | Honolulu Star-Advertiser


COURTESY HAWAIIAN AIRLINES

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Hawaiian Airlines today announced an investment of more than $600 million over five years to improve airport passenger areas across the state and interior upgrades to widebody aircraft.

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Hawaiian Airlines CEO Diana Birkett Rakow told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser ahead of today’s announcement at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport that other improvements will include better apps, a better website that will make it easier for passengers to change flights, among other things that also include better integration with Alaska Airlines, which acquired Hawaiian in 2024, making it a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group.

“We have pushed a lot of change through the system for the last couple of months,” Rakow said. “We’re working on integrating our ticketing systems because right now we’re on two separate ticketing systems that don’t talk to each other.”

After late April, she said, booking on the shared Alaska Air and Hawaiian Air ticketing system “will be much more seamless.”

In announcing the renovations and changes, Hawaiian pledged “a significantly smoother guest experience … once Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines share the same passenger service system and Hawaiian Airlines joins the oneworld alliance, both scheduled for late April.”

Right now, Rakow acknowledged, “unfortunately there is some friction.”

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“There’s been so many changes and all of that friction is really painful,” she said. “We are committed to making sure we are addressing the issues. … We are certainly not perfect, but we are committed to working together. … Really, after April, it is going to improve significantly.”

Each island airport also will see renovated lobbies and gates designed to increase comfort, provide better seating and amenities such as improved power charging.

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Daniel K. Inouye International also will get a new 10,600-square-foot lounge at the entrance of the Mauka Concourse in Terminal 1.

And starting in 2028, Hawaiian’s wide-body Airbus A330s will get new seats, carpets, lighting, business class suites, a Bluetooth-enabled in-flight entertainment system with high-definition screens and free Starlink Wi-Fi.

Gov. Josh Green said in a statement ahead of today’s announcement that, “Hawaiian Airlines’ investment is exactly the kind of long-term commitment Hawaiʻi needs. Modern, welcoming airports improve the experience for residents and visitors alike, strengthen our economy and keep Hawaiʻi competitive as a global destination. We appreciate Hawaiian Airlines’ partnership in advancing workforce development, regenerative tourism, clean energy, and community programs that reflect the values of our islands.”

The New Year began with a .75% increase in Hawaii’s Transient Accommodations Tax that will help the state fight climate change.

Rakow said that Hawaiian is working to better inform inbound passengers about how to respect Hawaii’s culture and environment.

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Hawaiian said it will continue to support “programs promoting regenerative tourism, culture and conservation.”

The airline also said it will fund grants to nonprofit organizations “promoting cultural programs, environmental preservation, and perpetuation of native Hawaiian art and language through the Alaska Airlines | Hawaiian Airlines Foundation.”




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