JOIN USFewer fire accidents seen this year
The city has seen a decline in the number of Deepavali-related injuries and accidents.
Medical professionals feel citizens have become more careful.
Dr Bevin D’Silva, head and senior consultant, emergency medicine, Sakra World Hospital, has treated three minor burn incidents this week.
“Two of them were injuries on the hand which occurred while bursting the firecrackers, while an onlooker was injured in the thigh by a cracker in the third case. Injuries have come down by 50 per cent since last year,” he says.
This year, time restrictions on bursting crackers has helped, he believes. “People are planning and bursting crackers responsibly in the designated two hours,” he says.
Most hospitals are equipped to provide critical care and have doctors on duty round the clock.
Dr Govindaiah Yatheesh, unit head, Apollo Speciality Hospital, Jayanagar, says, “Our doctors are on duty for two days after the festival too, as sometimes injury cases come after Deepavali. We have only had to treat one burn injury till now and I believe increased awareness has helped reduce accidents.”
Ten eye injuries have been addressed by Sankara Eye Hospital in the last few days, says Dr Anand Balasubramaniam, senior consultant.
“None of the injuries are grievous. Most cases are superficial and in and around the eye; there are no cases of vision loss. These cases have been treated with antibiotics,” he explains.
In 2017, the hospital saw about 30 cases. Two eye surgeries had to be performed due to festival-related accidents that year. “The stringent rules seem to have worked. We hope the numbers stay low,” he says.
Dr Kumar U, general physician with Sunidhi Diabetic and Healthcare Clinic, Nagarabhavi, reports a similar decline.
“We have only seen two minor burn injuries till Thursday. People seem to be more planned and careful now. They take precautions,” he says.
Doctors’ advise
- Protect your eyes with glasses.
- Keep a safe distance while bursting crackers.
- Keep water handy to douse accidental fires.
- In case of eye injury, do not rub eye. Wash with running tap water and head to an ophthalmologist.
- Do not wear loose or flowing clothes.
- Avoid synthetic attire; wear material like denim.
- Supervise children bursting crackers.