All That You Need to Do to Make Diwali Safer for Your Family

Posted on: Oct 29, 2021 | | Written by:

All That You Need to Do to Make Diwali Safer for Your Family

Published on October 20, 2021. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

Home Insurance for Diwali - Home insurance

Diwali, the festival of lights, is almost here and the markets have started filling with colourful decorations, sweets, and firecrackers to make this festival more auspicious and beautiful. While the festival of Diwali teaches us the power of good over evil, we must not forget that celebrating the good can also be dangerous when it involves so many types of fire hazards all around us.

Along with worsening air and noise pollution, firecrackers expose people and infrastructure to an enormous amount of danger and problems like eye burns, skin burns, breathing problems, as well as full-fledged fire. To make sure that you have an accident-free and happy Diwali, we have curated a list of safety advice that you should follow while enjoying the festival.

1. Lighting diyas/candles

Diyas and candles are an irreplaceable part of Diwali. Many people make different patterns outside and inside their homes using various kinds of diyas to enhance the beauty of their homes. However, even if those tiny diyas may look harmless, they can be a cause of a severe fire. Hence, you must make sure the diyas or candles are away from curtains, inflammable objects, or electric wiring. Always place the lamps on a flat surface, preferably on the ground away from pets and doorways.

2. Lighting firecrackers

Firecrackers add ten times more fun and colour to the Diwali celebration but are also very dangerous. Ensure using environment-friendly and less noisy firecrackers and wear short cotton clothes while lighting those so that you do not catch fire. Always burst firecrackers in an open area while storing them in a closed space, so they can be safe from any spark. Also, remember to be alcohol-free while playing with the firecrackers and keep a first aid kit with burn remedies handy.

3. Take care of senior citizens & pregnant women

Senior citizens and pregnant women need special care during the festival as the pollution and loud noise generated by the firecrackers can be really harmful to them. They can also not move away fast in case of any mishap due to the crackers, hence, make sure they are seated away from the place where you are bursting the firecrackers.

4. Special care for vehicles

A lot of road accidents occur during Diwali since most of the people burst crackers on the roads outside their homes. The best option to be safe is to avoid driving during the peak time of the festival, but if it's unavoidable, make sure you are wearing a helmet/seatbelt and driving slowly and cautiously.You should also remember to not park any vehicle in the open, as any cracker can be misguided and harm your precious vehicle. Park the vehicles in the garage or in your own parking space where the chances of any intrusion from the misguided rockets are next to nothing.

5. Choose appropriate clothing

Diwali also means wearing new, traditional clothes and looking your best. While that is a part of the festival, you should remember that certain clothes like silk, nylon, and polyester can catch fire very easily, and hence you should prefer loose cotton, denim or Khadi clothes.

Women wearing saree, long dupattas, or dresses should be more careful since free falling cloth pieces can readily catch fire without your realizing and can cause a severe burn.

Never let the children burst crackers without adult supervision.

Children love all the different traditions of Diwali like decorating houses, eating sweets, roaming around with friends and enjoying the adventurous session of bursting firecrackers. While certain firecrackers are less dangerous than others and hence safer for children, you must never leave your children alone with firecrackers and ignition. They can suffer a lot of damage, sometimes even permanent, from the fire, smoke and loud noise of the firecrackers.

6. Check fire-fighting equipment

Always ensure that fire-fighting equipment like a fire extinguisher is reachable and functional in your house, especially before Diwali. In case of an accident, your house can be at the risk of a serious fire disaster and can burn all of your dreams and joys with it. Having reachable fire-fighting equipment means you can stop the fire at a smaller level and save your house and family from going through a terrible misfortune on such an auspicious day.

Conclusion

Diwali teaches you a lot of good things and brings tremendous joy to your life. However, it can also turn into a fire hazard very quickly. Having home insurance can not only give you peace of mind but also save you from a lot of hassle if any mishaps occur during the festival. You can now also apply for online home insurance policies from HDFC ERGO that will cover your house and your family so that the festival of lights never brings darkness to your life.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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