Tips on Halloween safety

Halloween is fast approaching, and young trick-or-treaters are often so exited by the fun that they forget to follow regular safety rules. Here are a few tips courtesy of the RCMP, and Winnipeg police and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service to help keep youngsters safe.

Children

• Never trick-or-treat alone. Always walk with an adult or a group of friends.
• Make sure you can be seen. Wear reflective, bright colour costumes, or fasten reflective tape to your costume or bag.
• Avoid masks that restrict your vision.
• Only visit well-lit houses.
• Don’t go into the house for your treats, always wait outside.
• Don’t eat any treats until an adult has inspected them.
• Carry a flashlight so you can see where you are going.
• Don’t crisscross the street or run out from between parked cars. Always go down one side of the street, cross at the corner, and then the other side.
• Watch out for cars pulling out of driveways and backing up.
• Watch out for open flames from jack-o-lanterns and displays.
• Don’t trample through gardens or bushes. Always use pathways and sidewalks.
   

Motorists

• Halloween means there will be children on the streets. Drivers need to use extra caution. With the excitement of Halloween, children may forget simple pedestrian safety rules.
• Drive slowly in residential areas where children are more likely to be trick-or-treating. Reduce your speed and stay alert.
• Slow down and proceed with caution when entering and exiting driveways or backing up.
   

Homeowners

• Keep your home and doorway well lit.
• Clear sidewalks and pathways for safety.
• Avoid using open flames in any displays.

The Winnipeg Police Service and the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service are  also encouraging citizens to make Halloween a safe and enjoyable occasion.

Here are some general safety tips for everyone to consider:

•         Try to trick-or-treat when it is still light outside.
•         Wear a bright, reflective costume made of flame-resistant material.
•         Carry a flashlight, and use glow sticks, or reflective tape as part of your costume. Encourage children to stay away from open flames.
•         Ensure children know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
•         Why not use make-up instead of a mask? Masks can shift and obscure vision.
•         To prevent falls, ensure costumes fit well and aren’t too long and don’t have too much loose material.
•         Have a responsible adult go trick-or-treating with you.
•         If someone older cannot go with you, trick-or-treat as a group.
•         Plan your trick-or-treat route ahead of time. Pick well-lit streets.
•         Stay on sidewalks, look left, right and left again to be sure no cars are approaching before crossing the street. Always cross the street at corners and crosswalks; never cross between parked cars or in the middle of the block.
•         If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
•         Never enter the home of a stranger.
•         Discuss with your children the route they will be travelling and what time they are required to return home.
•         Only eat treats that have been examined by your parents.
•          Choking occurs most frequently among children under two years of age, but can happen at any age. Eating while playing, running, jumping, or talking increases the likelihood of choking.
•         ATTENTION DRIVERS! Children will be very excited and their actions could be sudden and unpredictable. Exercise caution and Just Slow Down.
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Your home for Halloween:

•        Make sure your home is well lit, your yard clear and safe, and pets are secured so no harm comes to them or the children.
•          Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
•          It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a Jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are supervised when candles are lit.
•          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 nothing blocks escape routes.
•          Children should not use knives or other sharp instruments to carve pumpkins.
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