The three-day weekend will bring a lot of boaters out celebrating in the ocean.
The U.S. Coast Guard says it will have extra patrol officers on duty as a precaution.
The Kaneohe Bay Sandbar is a prime example of just how much busier it gets for the Coast Guard and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources during a three day weekend, especially Labor Day, Memorial Day and July 4th.
"We know that there's gonna be a lot of people on the water so we're gonna make sure that we have a lot of people on the water as well. There's gonna be Coast Guard enforcement not just around Oahu but around the Hawaiian Islands in general," said Lieutenant Ekhi Arzac of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Alcohol is a major concern.
It's okay for passengers to be drinking, but law enforcement will be looking for those operating the vessel while they're drunk.
Just like on land, the legal limit is a blood alcohol level of 0.08.
"There's actually a lot of laws that help us enforce boating under the influence. We also issue field sobriety tests as well as breathalyzer tests just like on land," said Lieutenant Arzac.
The Coast Guard says it will be patrolling the harbors all weekend long for all types of violations.
The July 4th weekend is notorious for boaters shooting off their emergency flares as a substitute for fireworks.
"It's a big problem, people think that they can get rid of their old flares on 4th of July, which isn't a good idea. If you shoot off those flares, someone is gonna respond to them," said Petty Officer Amy Petersen of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Anyone who fires off their flare when not in distress can be fined or get jail time.
The Coast Guard is also asking boaters to be mindful of all safety precautions, like wearing life jackets and making sure they have a float plan, notifying someone where you're going and when you'll be back.
"So that if something were to happen to you and you're not back in time someone can call the Coast Guard," said Officer Petersen.
Other agencies such as the Coast Guard Auxiliary will also be at the piers checking for any violations.
The idea is for people to enjoy the holiday, but do it safely.
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Greatness! How about "fourth of july boating safety"?
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Here you go!
In our multi-cultural society, East and West meet all the time. The problem is, sometimes East meets West when it comes to our medications.
"Inter-actions, contra-indications, the mixing of prescriptive medicines and the over the counter herbals can become a physiological problem for many people. So it's really important to report everything that we're taking," said Linda Ford.
Seniors may have been using a particular herbal medication their entire lives and see nothing wrong with continuing that. And perhaps there isn't - but it's best to talk with a physician. Some seniors may be looked after by someone else.
"If you're having community care, home care so that those inter-actions can be looked at, dealt with and educated in a medication management type situation," said Ford.
Ford is not down-playing the importance of some "alternative" medications. For some seniors, those supplements may be a key to good health. The important thing is to let the doctor know everything you are taking.
"Bio-identicals, herbals, vitamins, minerals - good thigns but they do interact with prescriptions so it's just being knowledgeable - that's the key," said Ford.
And if you are a caregiver for a senior, it is imperative that you have a complete list of herbals or other supplements to provide to the doctor.
"So it is a collaborative effort of the caregiver having a complete list of all medications, including vitamins and minerals and herbs, giving that to the physician and then that knowledgeable collaborative effort of educating," said Ford.
