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Brighten your Diwali with joy and safety

Here are five essential tips to keep your celebrations safe and worry-free

It’s that time of year when the skies light up, and noise fills the air. While fireworks can be a highlight, a few safety measures will ensure your Diwali is both joyful and safe. Here’s a checklist to keep in mind…

1. Bucket of Water: Lighting fireworks close to hand can sometimes expose skin to the flame. In many cases, the difference between a minor and severe burn is the time taken to douse it, so keep a bucket of water nearby to quickly prevent serious injuries.
2. Bucket of Sand: Things don’t always go to plan with fireworks and flames can get out of control. If a cracker misfires and the flames spread to nearby dry leaves or plastic, the fastest way to put out such fires is to use sand in generous amounts to avoid further accidents.
3.  First Aid Kit: All of us have basic first aid kits at home, but we often forget to keep them fully stocked. So, make sure you have plenty of non-adhesive bandages, as burns can get aggravated with sticky or wet dressings. Keep plenty of gauze ready, along with eyewash for any burns from sparklers.
4. Emergency contacts: For Kolkata, the 24x7 Fire Department helpline is 101 and 112 connects you to the Emergency Response Support System.
5. Emergency Medical Solutions: You may have an elderly individual at home who uses an oxygen cylinder or may need it on an emergency use basis.Search for 24x7 pharmacies or oxygen cylinder services near you on Google to get emergency medical supplies at the earliest.

 My Kolkata wishes all of its readers a very Happy Diwali. 

—Debrup Chaudhuri