Halloween Safety Tips For Kids

Halloween is a tricky holiday for safety what with kids running through the dark for candy, but you can avoid any incident with a few key tips. 

Sarasota County Fire Chief Mike Tobias offers handy tips to make sure that Halloween isn't scarier than what it should be: 

• Help the child pick out or make a costume that will be safe. Make sure it is fire-resistant. The eyeholes should be large enough for good peripheral vision.
• If jack-o'-lanterns are set on the porch with candles in them, make sure that they are far enough out of the way so that children's' costumes won't accidentally be set on fire.
• Make sure if the child is carrying a prop, such as a knife or a pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible enough to not cause injury during a fall.
• Make sure children carry a flashlight or glow stick or have reflective tape on their costume to make them more visible to cars.
• Young children should be accompanied by an adult or responsible teen.
• Children always want to help with the pumpkin carving. There are many kits available that will make pumpkin carving safe. Let children clean out the pumpkin and draw a face on it, which an adult can carve for them.
• Treat children to a Halloween dinner. They will be less likely to eat the candy that could lead to choking. Take the opportunity to inspect their candy.
• Teaching children basic everyday safety such as not getting into cars or talking to strangers, watching both ways before crossing the street, and crossing when the lights direct them, will help make them safer when they are out trick-or-treating.