Diwali care: Do's & don'ts for burn injuries

Diwali is a festival of lights and most of them look forward to the Diwali festivities. It is important to follow safe and eco-sensitive Diwali practices and enjoy this festival of happiness.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) advised a few do's and don'ts for burn injuries that one may encounter during the festival season.

They are: Avoid wearing synthetic and loose clothes while lighting diyas, candles or crackers. Always stand at an arms distance while lighting crackers and diyas. Bursting crackers causes both air and noise pollution.

Celebrate Diwali in a manner that does not cause inconvenience or harm to others. Preferably use only green crackers and that too within time limits prescribed by the civic authorities.

Remember to discard the crackers in a bucket of sand or water to prevent injury to the feet.

Preferably wear shoes while bursting crackers. Never pick-up firecrackers which have failed to explode, this can cause severe hand injuries. In case of minor burns pour ample amounts of water over the burnt area till the burning sensation completely stops. Never apply agents like toothpaste or blue ink over the burnt area. Remove any constricting material like rings or bangles immediately, as swelling sets in later making their removal difficult.

In case of clothes catching fire, stop, drop and roll. To elaborate, stop wherever you are without running, which can further flare up the fire. Drop or lie down wherever you are, to avoid fire extending to your face. Roll over the ground to limit the oxygen supply. In most cases, this will control the fire. We can also use a thick rug to cut off the air, thus extinguishing the fire.

It is a good practice to keep a bucket full of water or a fire extinguisher in the vicinity during lighting the candles and bursting the crackers. In case of any eye injury, do not rub the eye but wash the eye with clean water and consult the eye specialist.