Halloween Safety


	A community-oriented, problem-solving department.
	Halloween Safety

Halloween should be fun for kids, but to be fun for kids and parents it needs to be safe. Here are few safety tips that could keep Halloween safe for you and your kids. So BE SMART AND SAFE:

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

	Make sure your kids dress up safely
	Check that the costumes are flame-retardant so the little ones aren't in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
	Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
	Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable and, more importantly, they can obstruct a child's vision -- a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
	Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.
	Make trick-or-treating trouble free
	Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups so they aren't a tempting target for real-life goblins. Parents should accompany young children.
	Make sure older kids trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so parents know where they'll be. Tell them to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
	Try to get your kids to trick-or-treat while it's still light out. If it's dark, make sure someone has a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
	Make sure kids know not to enter strange houses or strangers' cars.

Treats

	Kids need to know not to eat their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they're still out is to feed them a meal or a snack beforehand.
	Check out all treats at home in a well-lighted place.
	What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don't forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious. By all means, remind kids not to eat everything at once or they'll be feeling pretty ghoulish for a while!
	Halloween can be a lot of fun for parents and kids alike -- if everybody remembers the tricks and the treats of playing it safe.

TIPS FOR KIDS AND TEENS:

	Use make-up instead of a mask so that you can see.
	Wear light-colored clothing or costumes.
	Make a map of your trick-or-treat route for you and your parents.
	Carry a flashlight or light stick.
	Stay in your own neighborhood.
	Always keep a safe distance between you and moving cars.
	Be respectful of other people and their property.
	Stop only at well-lighted houses.
	Have a parent check the treats before you eat them.
	Start early, end early.
	Use sidewalks or walk facing traffic.
	Stop, look, and listen at corners.
	Walk, don't run.
	Don't go between parked cars or crisscross back and forth across streets or into traffic.
	Don't go inside a stranger's house, no matter what anyone says.
	Don't carry sharp instruments. And never carry a lighted torch or candle.
	Don’t forget Goblins in the Park at Lake Benson Park on Oct. 25, 2001: 5pm – 9pm.
	Costumes should be worn so that a proper fit can be attained. Kids should be able to see, hear, walk, talk, etc. correctly.
	Some type of reflectors, reflective stripes and/or trick-or-treat bag should be used to make kids visible to on coming vehicular traffic.
	Always carry flashlight/lantern. Make sure batteries will last.
	Be cautious at traffic intersections and/or crossing roads.
	Parents and/or chaperones should always accompany kids while trick-or-treating.
	Parents and/or chaperones should also be paying attention to possible real-life “boogiemen” who may be out there with intentions to do kids harm.
	Trick-or-treat within your surrounding neighborhoods and stop at homes of people known to you.
	Make sure kids allow you (parents) the opportunity to go through their ‘goodies’ before they eat them.
	These are only a few tips for Halloween safety. I’m sure most of you are aware of these, but if never hurts to refresh our memories.
	Take Safety to the Street this Halloween
	Halloween is one of the most thrilling nights of the year for children, and also one of the most dangerous. As kids hit the street to trick-or-treat, the potential for unintentional injury rises. In fact, children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year. Halloween can indeed be scary, with increases in pedestrian injuries, burns and falls among children.
	The fun of trick-or-treating and the excitement of Halloween may be a distraction for kids. Careless street crossing coupled with drivers’ more limited vision at night can make for a deadly mix. Many of the risks kids face on Halloween can be avoided if parents discuss important safety precautions with their kids.

PEDESTRIAN INJURIES

Halloween is the most dangerous night of the year for child pedestrians. Darting out into the street is one of the most common causes of pedestrian death among children. As children scurry from house to house collecting treats, it is important for them to take the following precautions:

Visibility

	Decorate costumes, bags and sacks with retroreflective tape and stickers.
	Use costumes that are light or bright enough to make children more visible at night.

Traffic

	Teach children to walk, not run, while trick-or-treating.
	Remind children to stop at all street corners before crossing. Tell them to cross streets only at intersections and crosswalks.
	Teach them to look left, right and left again before crossing the street and to continue looking both ways as they cross.
	Teach them never to dart out into a street or cross between parked cars.
	Never let children under age 12 go trick-or-treating or cross the street without adult supervision.

Motorists

	Slow down in residential neighborhoods.
	Obey all traffic signs and signals.
	Watch for children walking in the street or on medians and curbs.
	Enter and exit driveways and alleyways slowly and carefully.
	Teach children to exit and enter the car on the curbside, away from traffic.

For kids ages 12 and under:

	Adults should accompany children under age 12 on their trick-or-treat rounds.
	Attach the name, address and phone number (including area code) of children under age 12 to their clothes in case they get separated from adults.

For kids ages 12 and older:

	Teach your child his or her phone number.
	Make sure your children have change for a phone call in case they have a problem away from home.
	Instruct children to travel only in familiar areas and along a pre-established route.
	Instruct children never to enter a home or an apartment building unless accompanied by an adult.
	Set a time for children to return home.
	Restrict trick-or-treating visits to homes with porch or outside lights illuminated.
	Tell children to bring their treats home before eating them. Parents should check treats to ensure that items have not been tampered with and are safely sealed. Be careful with fruit. Inspect the surface closely for punctures or holes and cut it open before allowing a child to eat it.

All ages:

Remove breakable items or obstacles such as tools, ladders and children's toys from your steps, lawn and porch. Keep jack-o’-lanterns lit with candles away from landings or doorsteps where costumes might brush against the flame.

As parents and children take time to construct costumes and decorations, the (insert coalition name) recommends the following:

FALLS

	On Halloween night, cumbersome costumes and blinding masks can make walking safely through dark neighborhoods difficult. The following tips can help prevent fall-related injuries:
	Apply face paint or cosmetics directly to the face. It is safer than a loose-fitting mask that can obstruct a child's vision. If a mask is worn, be certain it fits securely. Cut the eyeholes large enough for full vision.
	Give trick-or-treaters flashlights.
	Make costumes short enough to avoid tripping.
	Secure hats so they will not slip over children's eyes.
	Dress children in shoes that fit. Adult shoes are not safe for trick-or-treaters. The larger size makes it easier for them to trip and fall.
	Allow children to carry only flexible knives, swords or other props. Anything they carry could injure them if they fall.
	Teach children not to cut across yards. Lawn ornaments and clotheslines are “hidden hazards” in the dark. Tell your children to stay on the sidewalk at all times.

BURNS

	Fires and burns are the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children. On Halloween, the (insert coalition name) recommends the following:
	Look for "flame resistant" labels on costumes, masks, beards and wigs.
	Use fire resistant material when making costumes.
	Avoid costumes made of flimsy material and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts. These are more likely to come in contact with an exposed flame, such as a candle, than tighter fitting costumes.
	Keep candles, pumpkins with candles, matches and lighters out of children’s reach.