Every year, we spend time and energy on that perfect costume, but we don’t spend nearly as much time discussing Halloween SAFETY. We hope these tips will help to keep you and your family safe this Halloween.

• ALWAYS accompany children when trick-or-treating. Unfortunately, the world isn’t as safe as it once was, so please make sure that you are with your child as they go door to door this year. Also, be sure to discuss with your children the dangers of going into a stranger’s house or car.

• Check the candy your child receives. Make sure the candy is sealed and wrapped in manufacturer’s wrappers. If something appears to have been opened, throw it away. Also, don’t allow your child to have any “home-made” treats unless you know the person who made them.

• Make sure costumes are safe. With jack-o-lanterns at every door, the risk of fire hazard is greatly increased, so make sure all costumes are fire-retardant. Also, make sure that your costumes do not present a tripping hazard and do not obstruct sight. Lastly, try to incorporate reflector strips or glow sticks in your costumes to ensure that everyone can see your spookiness in the dark.

• Planning on celebrating with your pet? First off, make sure that your pet does NOT eat any candy. Chocolate can be deadly and there is a choking risk presented by the wrappers. You also don’t want to dress up your pet if they are not comfortable with the costume. This can create stress on the animal that may cause them to react in a dangerous manner. Finally, if you plan on decorating your home, make sure to keep candles up and out of reach of your pets. Dogs that are excited about the constant door ringing may knock them over with their wagging tail and curious cats my get burned by the open flames.

• Planning on throwing a Halloween party? If you want to use dry ice to create an spooky atmosphere, make sure you do not put it in anything that will be eaten. Dry ice is not intended for consumption and can cause sickness. If you still want a spooky punch bowl, use two nested bowls with the outer bowl containing the dry ice and the inner bowl holding the punch.

These are just a few tips to help you stay safe this Halloween. If you have more tips, feel free to share! We’d love to hear your ideas and help others in our community to stay safe!

Here’s to a spooky and SAFE Halloween!