Halloween Safety Tips
Dressing Up in Costume:
- Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Ensure shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with open flames.
- When shopping for costumes, wigs, and accessories, look for and purchase those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
- If a sword, cane, or stick is a part of your child's costume, make sure it is not sharp or too long. A child may be easily hurt by these accessories if he stumbles or trips.
- Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
- Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as alternatives. Hats should fit properly to prevent them from sliding over the eyes.
Pumpkin Carving:
- Small children should never use a knife to carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers and parents can do the cutting.
- Votive candles are safest for candle-lit pumpkins. An even better alternative is to use a battery operated light.
- Candlelit pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.
Trick-or-Treating:
- A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.
- If older children are responsible enough to go out on their own, plan and review the route that is acceptable to you. Agree on a specific time when they should return home.
- Older children should Trick-or-Treat in a group (at least 2 buddies or more) and communicate where they will be going. Ensure they know to stay together at ALL times.
- Children should only go to homes of people they know with the porch light on. Remind children to NEVER go into a home or car for a treat.
- Teach your children to run away from people that try to entice them with special treats. Children should yell, scream, resist, make a scene, and run to a safe place if anyone tries to grab them or force them into a vehicle. Then tell a trusted adult and call 911 immediately.
- Children should report any suspicious incidents to their parents or guardians or to law enforcement.
- Teach children how to call 9-1-1 if they have an emergency or become lost.
- Instruct your children not to eat any treats until they bring them home to be examined by you.
- Because pedestrian injuries are the most common injuries to children on Halloween, remind Trick-or-Treaters.
- Carry a cell phone for quick communication.
- Children should remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic.
- Never cut across yards or alleys.
- Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks. Never cross between parked cars.
- Don't assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing Trick-or-Treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!
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