HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

HALLOWEEN SAFETY
IS EVERYONE'S RESPONSIBILITY

We all remember how we looked forward to Halloween when we were kids. We got to stay out later than normal, even on a school night and at the end of the night, we had enough candy to keep us going for weeks. Those were the good old days. Hey wait a minute, not much has changed. This Friday night, streets across the province will be flooded with young children and teenagers going from door to door - trick or treating.

There is no doubt the focus will be on having fun and it should be – but we must not forget about safety as well. Here are a few safety tips to help you get through the night with a smile on your face;

Trick or Treaters:

• Wear appropriate clothing for the weather
  
• Make sure you are visible
  
  • wear reflective clothing or place reflective tape on the front and back of your clothing
    
  • carry a glow stick that can be worn around the neck or wrist
    
  • carry a flashlight
    
• Walk in groups and stay together
  
• Stay in populated and well lit areas
  
• Never enter a house, only accept treats at the front door
  
• Visit houses on one side of the street at a time
  
• Cross only at an intersection or at a marked crosswalk
  
• Never walk out between cars to cross the street
  
• Never cross in the middle of the block
  
• If possible carry a cell phone in case of emergencies
  
• Do not eat homemade treats or fruit if you do not know who made them and where they came from.
  
• Throw away any treats that are not in sealed packaging.

Fire CRACKERS Are Illegal
Firecrackers are small bombs and have resulted in serious injury including burns, hearing loss and loss of fingers.

Fireworks Safety Tips:
Please check with your local City or Municipality for laws relating to the sale and possession of fireworks.

• Fireworks should only be handled by adults using EXTREME caution
  
• DO NOT use fireworks that appear to have loose fuses, appear old, or show signs of damage.
  
• Ignite one firework at a time.
  
• Bury certain firework devices (Roman Candles) up to half their length in a bucket of sand or earth.
  
• NEVER hold lit fireworks.
  
• If a firework doesn't go off, do not approach or pick it up for at least 30 minutes.
  
• DO NOT attempt to relight the device.
  
• After 30 minutes, immerse in water and throw away.

Drivers:

• Slow down and look ahead
  
• Be aware of your surroundings
  
• Pay more attention to intersections and crosswalks
  
• Be prepared to stop for kids who may run out in front of you
  
• Remember that there will be more foot traffic out Halloween night
  
• And that most of it will be excited young children

With Halloween falling on a Friday night this year, it's very important to remember; if you are going to be attending an office party or an adult Halloween celebration have fun but don't drive if you have been drinking. Drinking and driving at any time is wrong but to do it on a night when the number of children out roaming the streets is multiplied several times over could be tragic.

Be responsible – Don't drink and drive any time!

Should you need to call for emergency assistance (police, fire or ambulance),

• DO always pay attention to your location. Emergency operators will need to know where you are so they can dispatch the help you need.
  
  
• DO NOT use text messaging as a method to call 911 for emergency services assistance. Text messaging does not allow our operators to ask questions and understand the urgency of the public's need. They will need to get full and accurate details of events and complaints. For the hearing impaired community, the best method for communicating with 9-1-1 remains the TTY format.
  
  
• DO remain where you are at until emergency services attends and speaks to you.
  

Enjoy a fun and safe Halloween.