Make Halloween a fun and safe night
for trick-or-treaters
Costumes, jack-‘o-lanterns, haunted
house and scary ghost stories mark this time of year as all kids of all ages
enjoy the spirit of Halloween.
But if precautions aren’t taken,
scary things can happen.
Decorations that ignited are the
reported cause in 900 home fires nationwide each year.
Two of every five of those were
started by a candle.
To make this day a fun and festive
event,just follow these few simple steps to ensure everyone stays safe:
Trick-or-treating
•Children
should always go trick-or-treating with a responsible adult
•Provide
children with flashlights or glow sticks to carry for lighting and visibility
•Review
how to cross a street with your child.Look left, right and left again to be
sure no cars are approaching before crossing the street
•If
driving, be sure to watch for trick-or-treaters who are too busy to watch for
you
•Remind
children to stay together as a group when walking from house to house
Costumes:
•Purchase
costumes made of flame resistant or flame retardant.Fire resistant does not
mean fireproof!
•Apply
reflective tape to Halloween costumes
•Masks
can obstruct vision –consider using make-up instead
•Avoid
loose, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts
•Keep
hemlines short enough to prevent tripping
Decorations:
•Keep
decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light
bulbs and heaters
•Light
jack-‘o-lanterns with battery powered light –never use candles!
•Keep
exits clear of decorations so nothing blocks escape routes
•Remove
objects from the yard that could present a tripping hazard (garden tools,
hoses, etc.)
Remember to closely inspect all
candy before allowing children to eat it,discarding any unwrapped treats from a
stranger.
If in doubt, throw it out!
CAL FIRE wishes all Californians a
safe and enjoyable Halloween! For more Halloween fire safety ideas and tips, please
visit the CAL FIRE website at
www.fire.ca.gov
