HALLOWEEN SAFTEY 2025
Halloween is an exciting time of year, especially for families with young children. To ensure that your Halloween festivities are both fun and safe, follow these tips for selecting costumes, checking candy, ensuring visibility, and navigating neighborhoods safely this Halloween.
Safe Costumes
1. Ensure Proper Fit: Ill-fitting costumes can cause trips and falls. Make sure costumes are the right length and fit comfortably. Avoid oversized shoes and long capes or dresses.
2. Avoid Sharp Objects: Purchase soft, flexible accessories instead of sharp swords or wands. This minimizes the risk of injury.
3. Test Makeup: If face paint or makeup is part of the costume, test it on a small patch of skin beforehand to check for allergic reactions. Use non-toxic and FDA-approved makeup.
4. Comfort is Key: Ensure your child is comfortable and can move freely. Consider the weather and add layers if it’s cold, have an umbrella or rain jacket if it is going to be wet and rainy, like tonight.
Check Candy
1. Inspect All Treats: Examine all candy and treats for any signs of tampering, such as unusual packaging, discoloration, or pinholes. When in doubt, throw it out.
2. Check for Allergens: If your child has food allergies, read the ingredient labels carefully and avoid homemade treats or items without clear ingredient lists. Most treats and candies have an ingredients list online to help you prevent an allergy reaction from happening to your child.
3. Homemade Treats: Only allow your child to consume homemade treats from people you know and trust.
4. Sort and Discard: Remove any choking hazards for young children, such as small hard candies, gum, or toys with small parts.
Insure Visibility
1. Bright Costumes: Choose bright, light-colored costumes. If the costume is dark, add reflective tape or stickers to make your child more visible to drivers.
2. Use Glow Sticks and Flashlights: Equip your child with glow sticks, glow bracelets, or flashlights. This helps them see and be seen by others.
3. Buddy System: Encourage children to trick-or-treat in groups. There’s safety in numbers!
4. Stay on Well-Lit Streets: Stick to well-lit streets and avoid poorly lit areas. Only visit homes with porch lights on.
Safe Navigation
1. Plan a Route: Plan and discuss the trick-or-treating route in advance. Stick to familiar neighborhoods and set a designated meeting point in case anyone gets separated.
2. Stay on Sidewalks: Always use sidewalks where available. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
3. Cross Safely: Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Look both ways!
4. Hold Hands: For younger children, hold their hands when crossing streets or navigating crowded areas.
5. Avoid Distractions: Encourage children to stay off their phones and be alert while walking. This helps them stay aware of their surroundings and reduces the risk of accidents
Have a fun and safe Halloween this year and Happy Halloween from your friends at the Aroostook County EMA.
