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“The safety of our children must be our number one priority during Halloween,” said Senior Master Sgt. Steven M. Benoit, 435th Air Base Wing Safety Office superintendent. “Just because we trick-or-treat on the base doesn’t mean we should relax our commitment toward our children’s safety.”
Children and parents can safely enjoy Halloween by taking the following safety precautions offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics:
Wear flame resistant, reflective costumes. Make sure they fit well to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame. Add reflective tape to bags for greater visibility.
Small children should never carve pumpkins, instead they can draw a face with markers letting parents carve.
Only go to homes with a porch light on and never enter a stranger’s home or car for a treat.
To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters, remove anything a child could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations. Restrain pets so they do not inadvertently bite a trick-or-treater.
Lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects, and should never be left unattended.
Always accompany young children on their rounds. Plan and review the routes for older children who are going alone. Agree on a specific time when they should return home and make sure they wear a watch and have money or a cell phone to call.
Carry a flashlight with fresh batteries.
Stay in a group and always use the sidewalk and crosswalks. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the far edge of the roadway facing traffic. Never cut across yards or use alleys. Don’t assume that motorists will stop for trick-or-treaters.
Eat a good meal before trick-or-treating to discourage unsupervised snacking on candy.
wInspect candy wrapping carefully and toss out anything that looks suspicious.
Drivers beware and expect the unexpected. Slow down in residential areas. Don’t drink and drive.
(Courtesy 435th Air Base Wing Safety Office)
