Halloween is a fun and spooky time of year for kids. Make trick-or-treating safe for your children with a few easy safety tips:
- When choosing a costume stay away from long, trailing fabric. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough to see out.
- Provide children with flashlights to carry or use glow sticks as part of their costume.
- Dried flowers, corn stalks and crepe paper catch fire easily. Keep all decorations away from open flames and heat sources like light bulbs and heaters.
- Use a battery operated candle or glow stick in pumpkins. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. When lighting a candle inside of a pumpkin use long fireplace matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
- Remember to keep exits clear of decorations so that nothing blocks escape routes.
- Make sure all smoke alarms in the house are working.
- Remind children to stay away from open flames including pumpkins with candles in them. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice, stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with their hands and rolling over to put the flames out).
[Paul Payne is the New Canaan fire marshal.]