DA Rice Offers Tips for a Safe and Fun Halloween

Rice urges local media to publish tips for a safe holiday

MINEOLA, NY – The prospect of free candy and dressing up as their favorite superhero or cartoon character makes most kids champ at the bit to run through their neighborhood, knock on doors, and fill their bags with a dentist’s nightmare.

Safety, however, is the furthest thing from a child’s mind on Halloween. And that’s why we as adults must take every precaution to ensure that every Spiderman and Cinderella has fun, but also makes it home to bed safely. Here are a few simple tips to make your Halloween memorable for all the right reasons:

• Tell your children and their friends that they are never to enter the home of a neighbor or stranger.
• Sort through your child’s candy when they are finished trick-or-treating. Discard any candy or food product that is homemade, has a wrapper that has been tampered with, or looks suspect.
• Make sure your child wears a costume that is bright and reflective, making him or her as visible as possible to motorists. Avoid bulky costumes that may cause a child to trip and fall.
• Trick-or-treat only in familiar neighborhoods, and approach only those houses that are well-lit.
• Secure emergency contact information on your child’s costume in case you get separated.
• Avoid masks; they can block a child’s vision. Consider non-toxic makeup instead.
• Only purchase costumes, wigs, and props that are flame-retardant.
• If trick-or-treating at night, give every child and their escort a flashlight with fresh batteries.
• Clear your sidewalk and walkway of any obstructions. Children often rush from house to house, so any tripping hazards (flower pots, toys, lawn furniture) should be moved out of harm’s way.

For older children and teenagers who may have outgrown trick-or-treating, having a safe Halloween becomes all the more important. Throwing eggs, shaving cream fights and vandalism can have very real health and legal consequences.

Thrown items like eggs and water balloons can cause cuts, bruises, and more significant injuries to the face, especially the eyes. Causing injury to another, causing damage to property, and vandalism are taken very seriously by law enforcement, and can all lead to arrest and prosecution.

Halloween serves as the kickoff to the holiday season, and should be a fun and safe day for everyone in the neighborhood. By following these safety tips, we can be sure that the only problems stemming from this spooky holiday will be the stomachaches.