Halloween Safety Tips

  • Oct 26, 2010

On a night full of costumes and candy, parents should not have to live in fear for the safety of their children. To help ensure little witches and goblins enjoy a safe Halloween, Nationwide Children’s Hospital offers a few quick safety tips.

Safety Measures

  • Be sure your child’s costume is large enough to be worn over warm clothes but is not so long he/she could trip. Bright, colorful costumes that reflect light and can be seen easily by drivers are best. Choose costume accessories and/or props keeping in mind that all items should be flame resistant. Shoes should be comfortable and safe for walking.
  • Stick with make-up or face paint for finishing touches to a costume; wigs and masks could interfere with your child’s vision.
  • Trick-or-treat with your child and visit homes that you know well. Remind him/her to walk, stay on sidewalks and cross streets at crosswalks or well-lighted intersections. Try to finish trick-or-treating before dark and have a flashlight handy just in case.
  • Remember, pedestrian safety is a much more important safety issue than candy tampering on Halloween.
  • Monitor how much candy children eat; their bellies could haunt them later.
  • Be sure children eat before going out trick-or-treating, and take along a few healthy treats in a separate bag for snacking.

Poison Prevention

  • Check your child’s treats and throw away anything that is not securely wrapped. Do not allow your child to eat any candy until you or another adult in your household has checked it for tampering. The wrapper should be intact on all candy and fruit should be undamaged, washed and cut before eating.
  • Do not permit children to eat homemade treats unless you know and trust the person who made them.
  • Young children should not have gum, nuts, hard candies, seeds or other choking hazards such as toys with small parts.
  • Call the police if you suspect tampering -- tasting is not a safe way to test.
  • Consider hosting a Halloween party instead of sending kids trick-or-treating.

For Homeowners

  • Paint your pumpkins. Carving knives are dangerous and the candles used inside carved pumpkins are fire hazards. If you light a jack-o-lantern this year, keep it away from your front door or porch so little costumes do not catch fire. Never leave a lighted pumpkin unattended. Another option for lighting your pumpkin is to use flameless candles.
  • Leave on both your indoor and outdoor lights if you want visits from trick-or-treaters.
  • Clear the walkway to your door of decorations, hoses, toys, wet leaves or other items that could injure hurrying children.

Featured

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

  • Beyond Apps: Access Control for Today’s Residents

    The modern resident lives in an app-saturated world. From banking to grocery delivery, fitness tracking to ridesharing, nearly every service demands another download. But when it comes to accessing the place you live, most people do not want to clutter their phone with yet another app, especially if its only purpose is to open a door. Read Now

  • Survey: 48 Percent of Worshippers Feel Less Safe Attending In-Person Services

    Almost half (48%) of those who attend religious services say they feel less safe attending in-person due to rising acts of violence at places of worship. In fact, 39% report these safety concerns have led them to change how often they attend in-person services, according to new research from Verkada conducted online by The Harris Poll among 1,123 U.S. adults who attend a religious service or event at least once a month. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis.