Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is one of my family’s favorite holidays! We love walking around the neighborhood and looking at decorations, ghosts, goblins, eating candy, and seeing all of the costumes!

With all the spooky fun that Halloween brings, did you know that children are 2 times more likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year? That’s a scary statistic!

At Home Hazard Prevention, we want to share some of our favorite costume, trick-or-treating, and candy safety with you!

Costume Safety

• All costumes, material, wigs, etc. should be fire resistant.
• When celebrating after-dark, add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags or accessorize with glow sticks and glow necklaces.
• When using Halloween makeup, make sure it is non-toxic and remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
• When appropriate, use Halloween makeup instead of masks. Depending on the type of mask and age/size of the child, masks can make it harder for kids to see or breathe.
• Choose a light-colored costume that is easy to see at night
• Costumes should fit properly to avoid trips and falls – be careful of high heels, oversized shoes, long dresses, and long capes
• In the event that you get separated from your child, we recommend labeling your child’s costume with your name, address, and phone number

Trick-or-Treating Safety

Now that you have chosen the perfect, and safe Halloween costume, we want to make sure that your child is safe while they enjoy trick-or-treating festivities.

• An adult should accompany children under 12 years old. If kids are mature enough to be out without adult supervision, have them stick to familiar areas that are well lit and stay in groups. This may also include pre-planning their neighborhood trick-or-treating route.
• Teach children never to enter a stranger’s home or car
• Cross the street at corners, use traffic signals and crosswalks when available. Practice safety when crossing the street – look left, right, and left again and keep looking as you cross. When crosswalks aren’t available, teach children to make eye contact with vehicle drivers before crossing in front of them.

Candy Safety

Part of a kid’s measure of success in trick-or-treating is seeing how much candy they can come home with.  And likewise, being safety-minded doesn’t stop once the trick-or-treating adventure is over and you are back home.  Some things to keep in mind, to be safe with candy:

• Be sure that all candy is individually wrapped. If the wrapper is open or if you have any questions on the integrity of the wrapper materials, it is better to be safe and throw the candy out.
• Avoid any homemade goodies – unless it comes from someone you personally know and trust.

Alternatives to Trick-or-Treating

Depending on the age of your children and the area of town that you live in, you may decide that traditional trick-or-treating just isn’t for you. My family enjoys staying home, hanging out in the front yard, admiring costumes, and handing out candy. Here are a few home safety tips that we will be practicing:

• Turn the porch light on – not only is the porch light a universal and inviting sign that you are home and ready to pass out candy, the light helps to keep the sidewalks well-lit. If you have any stairs or un-even walkways, it is also a good idea to keep them lit or add extra lights.
• Use battery-operated candles instead of open flames – this helps to prevent fire hazards
• Be sure sidewalks and any walking paths are free from debris or any other tripping hazards
• Secure pets that might runaway, scare, or bother visiting families

How are you planning on celebrating Halloween? We would love to hear your favorite safety tips and see your costumes!

******

‘Safety Nick’, as he is affectionately known, is the owner and operator of Home Hazard Prevention, LLC (HHP). In 2012, HHP was launched.  With the support of his wonderful (and understanding!) wife and two beautiful children, Nick works tireless hours, not only to help save your family’s lives, as a firefighter and a community safety expert, but also to be able to spend quality time with his family.  Nick moved to Arizona over 20 years ago and enjoys exploring our great state with his family.

Be sure to contact Home Hazard Prevention for any of your family or business safety needs. From mobile CPR training to car seat education to infant safety (and much more!) HHP is here to help! Remember, a complete safety program does not have to be expensive or time-consuming. There is no one more qualified than a group of professional firefighters to keep your family safe! (480) 448-0266 or [email protected]

© HHP, LLC 2012-2024