In answer to Carol Arnold's letter regarding the cancellation of the fireworks at Bar Beach I say that all the people of PW and TONH love to see the fireworks, but some are unaware of the problems that they cause.

I have lived here for 76 years and have seen a lot of changes in the town. Mrs. Arnold is a short term resident. We have three roads that led in and out of PW and when the fireworks display ended, problems would start. For hours cars would leave the area like ants.

In the '60s, we had fireworks for approximately three quarters of an hour to an hour. The display was centered in Manhasset Bay just off of Tom's Point. People would come from Staten Island, Westchester, Manhattan and Eastern Long Island. When the display ended at 10 p.m., the cars would file out of PW like ants until 2 a.m., four hours of more traffic.

I am a member of the Port Washington Fire Department for 59 years and one year we nearly lost a member's wife due to a heart attack because we had trouble reaching her. God was with us and we got her to the hospital in time.

The TONH Supervisor made the right decision. People can drive to exit 19 north on 95 to Rye Playland. Spend the day there and enjoy 15 minutes of joy and then spend this time in traffic on a major road getting home. They can also take Shore Parkway and park off the road just before Fort Hamilton and enjoy 15 minutes of fireworks and then enjoy the crowded ride home on the parkway.

The money used by the town could be used for a better purpose or returned to the taxpayers.

So let's all be realistic and get on with our lives.

C. Santoli