Halloween Safety Tips

Reminder: Be Careful with Halloween Costumes, Decorations and Trick-or-Treating

• Switch to battery operated candles.
• Keep all decorations like cornstalks and hay away from heat sources and lit candles.
• Be sure all parts of costumes are labeled flame retardant.
• Costumes should not have trailing materials or tails long enough to cause falls.
• If a child is wearing a mask instead of make-up, make sure the eye holes are large enough to see through clearly.
• Make sure your home is well-lit inside and out and that there is a clear path to your door.
• Children under 12 should always be with an adult. It is best to take little ones out early. If older children are going out without you, go over the ground rules first and set a curfew. Have them travel in a group, with a cell phone and flashlight.
• Remind youngsters to cross at crosswalks or corners and not to dart out between parked cars.
• Teach children to put electronic devices down, keep heads up and walk, do not run across the street.
• Fireworks are dangerous and illegal in Massachusetts. The ban includes firecrackers, cherry bombs and party poppers.
• After use, remember to put matches and lighters away in a high, locked cabinet, because children may be tempted to relight jack-o-lanterns themselves without having the ability to understand the danger.