KENT Fire and Rescue Service is doing its bit to make sure the Vaisakhi celebrations in Gravesend go off safely.

Vaisakhi marks the start of a new year and is a long established harvest festival in the Punjab and it also commemorates the birth of Sikhism as a collective faith.

And because Gravesend has one of the most established Sikh communities in the country KFRS’s community engagement officers will be providing vital safety advice to those taking part in the procession through the town centre next Saturday (April 13).

KFRS’s partnership manager Samantha Jones said: “The Vaisakhi procession in the town is an excellent opportunity for us to talk to local people and we will be on hand to give helpful advice about how to prevent fires in the home.”

To mark the festival, members of the Sikh community in Gravesend will be taking part in the procession which starts and ends at the new Gurdwara Guru Nanak Marg.

KFRS principal community safety officer Pirthipal Singh Kang said: “Vaisakhi is a time of great celebration and we hope lots of members of Kent’s Sikh community will come down to see us on Saturday.”

He added: “We are especially urging the community to ensure they have a working smoke alarm fitted on every floor of their home and to test batteries weekly.”

Help keep your family safe during Vaisakhi by following these simple tips: 

  • Keep naked flames at a safe distance from curtains, furniture and decorations. Long hair and clothing (especially chunris/chunis, Sari, and dupattas) are also very flammable
  • Never leave karahis and pans unattended on the cooker 
  • When cooking deep-fried food, dry it before you put it in the hot oil. If the oil starts to smoke, turn off the heat and leave the pan to cool. Never fill the pan more than one-third full of oil 
  • Never throw water over the pan

For further advice on how to keep you, your family or a neighbour safe from fire call Kent Fire and Rescue Service for free on 08009 237000 or go to 3breaths.info for further information.