Tips for Halloween safety

Updated 10/27/14

The Kimberley North Improvement Association Board  offers parents and children the following tips to help ensure a safe and festive Halloween:

• If you do not want your child going trick-or-treating door-to-door, consider other alternatives such as planning a party or attending community Halloween festivities.
• Pay close attention to the costumes that your children will be wearing.

• Costumes should be made of a fire retardant material
• They should be non-restrictive to allow free movement and uninhibited vision.
• Make sure that masks do not hinder a child’s breathing.
• Provide adequate warm clothing under the costume to protect against cold weather.
• Always remain in familiar territory.
• When going door-to-door, travel in groups with at least one responsible adult.
• Use flashlights, “Glo-sticks” or lighted wands to help you see and be seen.
• If a home does not have a porch light turned on, the residents are indicating that they do not want to be disturbed.
• Use your discretion in determining which homes children should approach.
• Exercise caution and obey all pedestrian traffic laws. Cross at intersections and consider the existing street lighting.
• Keep your group together, and remember that children can easily get caught up in the excitement of the evening and may run ahead of the group.
• Carefully inspect all items received before anything is eaten, and throw away any candy or treat that is not securely wrapped by the manufacturer.
• Consider only eating candied apples or other homemade treats if you know the person who prepared them.
• If you will be passing out candy, secure your pets, remove all obstructions from the path to your porch and avoid using any open flame near the door.

More Halloween safety tips:

• Halloween Food Safety Tips
  Help your children have a safe Halloween, from the food they eat to the parties they attend, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Halloween Safety Tips 
  Stay safe this Halloween with safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
• Halloween Health & Safety Tips – Center for Disease Control