Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SM)
- Tips to celebrate a safe Diwali from Burns Care Specialist; abundant caution required, warns the Specialist, Burns Care Centre, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal.
Udupi, Nov 8: Diwali is a festival of lights. It is celebrated to express happiness on the victory of good over evil. The splendid firework display increases the beauty of the festival. To prevent unfortunate events, abundant care and caution must be taken.
Dr Pramod Kumar, head of the department of plastic surgery and burns care specialist, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal near here says that it only needs supervision and vigilance on the part of those celebrating the festival, using the crackers and lighted lamps. The emergency services of most of the hospitals report a rise in burn cases on this day.
Last year, the Burns Care Centre of Kasturba Hospital reported more burns cases on Diwali day from this area. Besides burns, other injuries like the damage to limbs and body, the loss of eyesight and bursting of eardrums may also occur.
Dr Pramod Kumar suggests few 'Guidelines to celebrate a safe Diwali':
- Children should burst firecrackers under close supervision of elder.
- Crackers should never be ignited while holding them in the hand and point the firecrackers away from themselves. Children may want to show off, but it has a very high chance of causing injury.
- Anar or the flower pot crackers should be ignited using an agarbati or a sparkler to maintain a desirable distance between the cracker and the hand else it can cause injuries to hand, eyes and chest wall.
- Never burst crackers in closed places.
- Light one firecracker at a time. Lighting rows of firecrackers should be avoided.
- Aerial firecrackers should be lit in an open field and never in closed compounds.
- Disposal of the crackers after they are spent is mostly ignored. Half burnt crackers should either be doused in water or in sand.
- Wear cotton or hosiery garments rather than silks and polyesters. The latter catch fire very easily and sticks to the body making even a small injury assume dangerous proportions. Never wear clothes with loose strings or flowing sashes. Children should preferably be dressed in trousers/pyjamas rather than frocks or elaborate dresses. Loosen all tight clothing or accessories that the person is wearing. Accessories will include bangles, belts, ties, rings etc.
- Make children wear footwear that is comfortable, closed and easy to run in.
- Keep a bucket of water, sand and blankets to put off fire handy.
- First aid tips for immediate attention:
If a person's clothes catch fire, roll him on the ground or wrap him in a blanket to douse the fire and drench the person in water.
- Do not panic if blisters form as it indicates that the injury is superficial and will heal.
- Do not allow the person to run about as air fans the flames and makes burn worse.
- In case of serious burns, do not try and remove the clothing since some of it may be stuck to the body. Instead, just wrap the patient in clean clothes and seek help.
- Keep the burnt parts of the body elevated than the rest.
- Rush to hospital with burns care facility
In case of minor burns
Clean the area gently with cool water and cover with a clean, dry cloth.
Do not apply cotton. Do not apply ice directly on the burnt area.
In case the eye is affected, wash with cold water immediately for some time.
If required rush to hospital with burns care facility.
Dr B H Anand Rao, COO and medical superintendent, Kasturba Hospital, Manipal along with wishing the people of Coastal Karnataka a happy Diwali, announced that a full-fledged burns/ fire accident care centre is fully set in Kasturba Hospital, Manipal. The Burns Intensive Care Unit of this hospital can provide immediate treatment for all types of burn injuries.
The burns care centre, said Dr Anand Rao, is manned by eminent burns specialists and well trained and experienced support medical staff. It functions 24 hours with the support of Hi tech ambulance service to transport patients safely.
Emergency Hotline contact 2 575555