Halloween Safety Tips from Menomonee Falls Fire Dept

Trick or Treat

• Walk on sidewalks, not in the street. Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic if there are no sidewalks
• Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs or darting out into the roadway
• Plan the trick-or-treat route
• Children 12 and younger should be accompanied by an adult or older responsible youth
• Older children should avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups
• Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home
• Provide children with flashlights to help them see and bee seen or glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape
• To keep homes safe for visiting trick-or-treaters remove anything a child could trip over from the porch and front yard
• Establish a return timePin a slip of paper with the child's name, address and phone number inside their costume
• Report any suspicious behavior to the Police

Treats

• Provide your child with a meal before trick-or-treat to avoid snacking on treats
• Never let your kids eat Halloween candy before you inspect it at home
• Eat only factory-wrapped treats
• Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well

Costumes

• Be sure to purchase or make costumes out of flame-resistant materials such as nylon or polyester as these specially marked fabrics will resist burning and extinguish quickly
• Keep hemlines short enough to prevent tripping and avoid loose, baggy sleeves, or billowing skirts
• Choose costumes that are lighter in color and attach reflective materials to costumes
• If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings and large eye holesUse non-toxic Halloween makeup
• Follow manufacturer's instruction for application
• Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible
• Tell children to stay away from open flames
• Make sure your child knows to stop, drop and roll in case their costume catches fire
• Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or trimmed with retro-reflective tape   

Decorations

• Make sure electric decorations are UL approved
• Replace damaged light strings
• 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
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations
• Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards;they are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting
• Use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern
• If candles are used in a jack-o-lantern, make sure they are on a sturdy surface and keep children away when candles are lit; keep them away from flammable objects