KEY TIPS TO HAVE A SAFE DIWALI... WITH CRACKERS
You can have a safe Diwali with crackers and celebrate joyously by taking a few precautions and keeping some safety tips in mind. Here’s a breakdown of the elements that contribute to ensuring a safe Diwali.
1.Where You Buy Firecrackers From
Diwali is around the corner, and shops and supermarkets are brimming with diyas, chocolate boxes and the usual Diwali paraphernalia. Boxes of a variety of fireworks sit neatly arranged in the many cracker shops that set up overnight in markets in every city. While making your way in a crowded cracker shop used to be the norm, you can now buy crackers online. A wide array of crackers online give tough competition to traditional stores. The collection available online and the convenience of buying everything you want from the comforts of home make online crackers a better bet.
When it comes to buying crackers, online shopping is also safer as compared to getting it from a shop. The crowds and the large amounts of fireworks stacked at one place can be unsafe. Whether you choose to order Diwali crackers online or get them from a shop near your home, you should buy them only from a licensed and reliable seller, such as Ayyan Fireworks. Licensed sellers scrutinise the safety standards of their stores and the fireworks they sell, and also ensure that the quality of the fireworks is up to the mark.
2. How You Handle Fireworks
Handling different types of fireworks requires different precautions, which are usually mentioned on cracker packets or boxes, irrespective of whether you buy firecrackers online or from a shop. Always read the label or safety instructions on the box, and follow them carefully. Don’t keep crackers in your pockets; they should always be kept in a closed box when not in use. Children should always have adult supervision while lighting fireworks. Show this popular video on safety tips to your children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol7T4n1A7Ug
Don’t be in a hurry to light different crackers; light them one at a time. Whether you’re lighting a sparkler, Chinese cracker, fountain, or wheel (chakkar), use an incense stick (agarbatti) to light it, taking the agarbatti to the cracker and not the other way. Avoid using open flames such as lighters and matches as they are dangerous. Also, remember not to keep your fireworks near a source of fire.
While lighting a cracker, you should stand at least at an arm’s distance from it. Keep you body positioned away from the cracker so as to light it and move away as fast as you can. If a cracker doesn’t ignite immediately or takes time, it can be tempting to inspect it. However, it’s best to leave it and sprinkle water on it to diffuse it. At any cost, don’t light a cracker while holding it in your hand. Wash your hands after handling fireworks as they contain toxic materials.
3. Where You Burst Crackers
You should always light fireworks in an open area, such as a field or a playground. All types of fireworks can cause fire hazards if they are used in closed, crowded or congested areas, such as your home, your building’s corridor, or the parking area. Also, fireworks release toxic fumes when they are lit and can cause health problems if used in places with inadequate ventilation. In the case of rockets and other aerial firecrackers, ensure that they have a solid grounding and don’t face doors, windows or building gates. While it is important that you burst crackers in open places, remember not to light them on roads.
4. What Clothes You Wear While Handling Crackers
Who doesn’t love dressing up in their best attire on Diwali? However, when it comes to choosing the right clothes to wear when handling fireworks, thick cotton fabric with a good fit is the best choice. Avoid loose clothing or clothes made of nylon, polyester or any synthetic material as they have higher chances of catching fire easily.
5. How Prepared You Are
Being prepared for the worst is better than not being prepared at all. Keep a first-aid kit, including eye drops, within quick reach. You should be prepared and ready to act in case of an emergency situation. Always have a water bucket or a sand bucket nearby when you light firecrackers. Discard used fireworks, especially sparklers, in either of these so that no one accidentally steps on them while they are still hot.
While you share sweets and all the love and happiness that Diwali is synonymous with, you should also spread the word for celebrating it safely. Handling crackers properly, lighting fireworks in open areas, wearing the right clothes, and being completely prepared will ensure that you enjoy a cracker of a Diwali every year. Here’s wishing you a safe Diwali.