First aid for burns while using crackers.

Diwali - a festival of lights can easily turn into a nightmare for people who take it easy. The festival celebrated across India irrespective of any caste or creed involves crackers and burning of candles and lamps. Apart from the crackers being a hazard for the environment it can be even more hazardous to human lives if care is not taken. Here are a few tips you must keep in mind in case of an accident involving burns.

First of all, it is important for you to keep calm. If you panic, you will
not be able to help the victim. It is recommended to seek medical
advice, specially when you are unsure of the seriousness of the injury.
It is important to get the wound dressed properly to ensure that there
will be no infection.

In case of giving first aid, please keep in mind the following:

Run cold water over the burn:
it is a myth that one should use ice, butter or an ointment mnt over a
burn area. In reality it is better to run cold water for a few minutes
over the burn immediately.

Remove clothes.
You must remove the clothes of the victim and any other restrictive
items like belt, jewelry etc. it may be difficult to remove them later as the burnt skin can swell.

Cover the burnt area with a clean cloth. This is to keep the infection away from the burnt area. It is better to use sterile gauze or bandage.

Do not give anything to eat or drink to the burn victim unless you have checked with the doctor.

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