(KNOE 8 News) - West Monroe Police have some safety tips to keep in mind as you get ready to celebrate Halloween.
Costume Safety
• Choose a costume made of flame retardant material.
• Costumes should be short enough so that they don't cause your child to trip and fall.
• For good visibility, add some reflective tape to the costume or bag he/she is using to carry candy or make/choose a costume made of bright material that is visible in the dark.
• Masks should fit securely and allow your child to see well and not hinder visibility.
• If using face paint, make sure it is nontoxic and hypoallergenic.
• Knives, swords and other props should be made of a flexible material, so that they don't pose a hazard if fallen on.
Trick-or-Treating safety
• Children should be well supervised by an adult when trick-or-treating. Older children should trick-or-treat in large groups in well known neighborhoods.
• Carry a flashlight.
• Stick to well lit houses in familiar neighborhoods only
• Follow traffic signals and rules of the road.
• Drive slowly.
• Avoid taking shortcuts across backyards or alleys. Stick to the sidewalks of well lit streets.
Candy Safety
• Instruct your children to bring all candy home before eating it so that you can carefully inspect it for tampering. Children shouldn't snack while they're out trick-or-treating, before parents have a chance to inspect the goodies. To help prevent children from munching, give them a snack or light meal before they go -- don't send them out on an empty stomach.
• Tell children not to accept -- and, especially, not to eat--anything that isn't commercially wrapped.
• Throw out candy or treats that are homemade, unwrapped or if they appear to have been tampered with (pinholes in wrappers, torn wrappers, etc.)
• Parents of young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
• Wash all fresh fruit thoroughly, inspect it for holes, including small punctures, and cut it open before allowing children to eat it.
