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FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. With all the excitement of trick-or treating, it's easy to forget safety precautions that are important when celebrating Halloween. Here are some tips from the state Department of Consumer Protection that can help prevent problems and ensure that the upcoming holiday is happy and safe for everyone.
About Halloween costumes:
Costumes, wigs and accessories should be bright and reflective, and be labeled flame resistant. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping. Non-toxic makeup and decorative hats are safer than masks, which can limit vision. Reflective tape added to costumes and trick-or-treat bags ensure greater visibility. Include emergency information (name, address, phone number) inside the costume or on a bracelet. Avoid hard plastic knives, pitchforks, guns or swords to prevent injury.
Before trick or treating:
Assign a parent or responsible adult to accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds. Provide flashlights with fresh batteries for children and escorts.
Remind trick-or-treaters to:
Stay in a group, walk and tell their chaperone where they are going. Visit only well-known neighborhoods at homes that have porch lights on. Remain on well-lit streets and use the sidewalks; don't cut across yards or use alleys. Never enter a stranger's home or car for a treat. Not run across a street. Be sure that all cars have stopped before crossing the street. Never eat unwrapped items or open beverages. Although tampering is rare, every trick-or-treater should bring candy home to be inspected.
Older children without adult supervision should:
Know where to reach parents and when to be home. Plan a route with parents beforehand and stick to it. No bicycles, roller-blades or skateboards. Carry coins or a cell phone to make a phone call if necessary. Remember 9-1-1 is a free call from any phone.
At your home:
Remove tripping hazards on your porch and walkway before trick-or-treaters arrive. Check your property for flowerpots, low tree limbs, support wires or garden hoses that may prove hazardous in the dark. Keep pets safe in the house on Halloween, when costumes and noises can cause alarm. If they must be outside, be sure that your pets are wearing collars and proper identification tags.
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