By VENUS MAY H. SARMIENTO
THE explosions were just as loud as in past New Year’s Eve celebrations but lesser firecrackers were exploded by revelers midnight last December 31, this according to many people’s observations including city police and health authorities.

Records of the Region 1 Medical Center here seemed to bear this observation out: Only 36 injuries were listed starting December 21 to December 31, last year, at least 24 of these registered on the single night of December 31 till the following morning.

The most serious case was that of a nine-year-old boy from Pozorrubio, Joseph Ramirez whose right hand from the wrist had to be amputated after a high-powered firecracker he picked up exploded in his hand.

The boy’s father, SPO2 Pepito Ramirez, a member of the Pozorrubio police, rushed his son to R1MC.

A similar painful fate happened to two other young boys, Menrod Maningding, 7, of Calasiao and Vincent Bangsal, 11, of Calmay, both in this city whose fingers had to be amputated after these were blown off by firecrackers exploding in their hands as they picked these up.

Local police, health and city government authorities undertook a specialized campaign that seemed to have a substantial effect, according to officials, in the actual number of firecrackers exploded by merrymakers and consequently, in the number of injuries.

Police were reported to have been on constant patrols checking out loud firecracker explosions in many parts of the city on new year’s eve, particularly in barangays Bacayao Norte and Sur and Pogo Grande and Lasip.