PALMDALE – The City of Palmdale’s neighborhood services department is offering Halloween safety tips to residents.
“Halloween is meant to be a fun holiday but it can also be a scary time for parents and children alike,” said Palmdale Crime Prevention Officer Kery German. “It’s important to know basic safety tips before children go out trick or treating.”
To make Halloween a treat, follow these safety tips.
Costumes:
- Make sure costumes are flame-retardant so little ones aren’t in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns.
- Keep costumes short to prevent trips, falls, and other bumps in the night.
- Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks can be hot and uncomfortable and they can obstruct a child’s vision – a dangerous thing when kids are crossing streets and going up and down steps.
- Make sure kids wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.
Trick or Treating
- Plan a safe trick-or-treat route.
- Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups so they are not a tempting target for real-life goblins. Parents should accompany young children.
- Make sure older kids trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so you will know where they will be. Tell them to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
- Try to get your kids to trick-or-treat while it’s still light out. If it’s dark, make sure they each have a flashlight and choose well-lit streets.
- Make sure kids know never to enter a stranger’s house or car.
- Keep a safe distance from moving cars.
Treats
- It is hard for kids to hold back from eating their treats until they get home. One way to keep trick-or-treaters from digging in while they’re still out is to feed them a meal or snack beforehand.
- Check out all candy in a well-lit place when your trick-or-treater gets home.
- What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Don’t forget to inspect fruit and homemade goodies for anything suspicious. “We suggest that children should be polite and accept homemade treats, but unless you know the person who gives it to you, we suggest you don’t eat them,” said Palmdale Community Safety Supervisor Kelly Long. “By all means, remind kids not to eat everything at once or they’ll be feeling pretty ghoulish for a while.”
“Halloween can be a lot of fun for parents and kids alike, if everybody remembers the tricks and treats of playing it safe,” said Palmdale’s Crime Prevention Officer Ruth Oschmann.
The City of Palmdale has also produced a Halloween safety video highlighting tips for parents to ensure their children enjoy a fun-filled holiday. The video is currently airing on the City of Palmdale’s Channel 27.
“Some of the tips emphasize costume safety, pedestrian awareness, proper supervision of children and monitoring the treats they receive,” said Oschmann.
For more information on Halloween safety, call 661-267-5170.
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[Information via press release from the City of Palmdale.]
