Halloween Safety

By

John Beatty

Maine Fire Training and Education

Fire and Life Safety Educator III

Southern Maine Community College

 

My son Michael from the age of three to adulthood has always loved the Halloween season. He couldn’t wait for the first week in October to arrive so he and his sister could pick the biggest pumpkin and carve a smiling face with just a few teeth missing. Then it was the constant question day after day to how many more days till October 31st and let’s get out and scare some people.

 

Oh he always had to have the same ghost costume with a black top hat and a tie that not even I would wear and his sister always was a Princess. We would go from house to house with the two of them in unison saying Trick or Treat, with them both discussing what terrible trick would they do if someone did not give them their sought after treat.

 

Most children, like my two, have been thinking about their costumes for a long time and as Halloween approaches it’s time for parents and caregivers to consider costume safety.

 

Maine Fire Training and Education would like to offer a few tips to protect trick or treaters:

·         Choose a light-colored costume with reflective tape

·         To prevent trips and falls make sure the costume is not to long for your child

·         The costume and any other accessories should be labeled fire-retardant or fire resistant

·         Avoid masks since they can block a Child’s vision

·         Use only face paint that’s labeled non toxic made with U.S. approved color additives

·         If it’s chilly, dress your children in warm clothing underneath their costume

·         We as adults should inspect our children’s candy for safety, especially those Almond Joys that I would always have to confiscate

 

On Halloween night more children will be in a collision with a car then any other day of the year. Please try to keep our children aware, with so many children out and about, that they have to be aware of motorist going up and down the street. Have a flash light available for them and for you to provide illumination and not to run across the street to the next home. Always go up one side and down the other and always look both ways before crossing any street or road.

 

If we can just follow these few simple rules we’ll all have a safe Halloween.