Halloween Fire Safety

10/26/2016 (Permalink)

Halloween is a fun time of year, but without precautions it can lead to house fires. The Illinois Department of Public Health website offers great tips and suggestions to keep Halloween safe and fun. http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/press08/10.23.08HalloweenSafety.htm

If you are faced with fire damage, call SERVPRO of Quincy at 217-223-2993 for 24/7 emergency service.

Tips for a Safe Halloween

The National Fire Prevention Association also reports an average of seven deaths and $24.9 million in property damage each year in the United States as the result of home fires caused by Halloween decorations, the majority involving candles.

Costumes

• Should be bright, reflective and flame retardant.
• Be sure children know how to "Stop, Drop and Roll" in the event their clothing catches fire.
• Use face paint instead of masks, which can interfere with a child's vision, or wear masks that are well-fitting with eye and ear holes that do not obscure sight or hearing.
• To reduce the likelihood of tripping, children should not wear long, baggy or loose costumes or oversized shoes.
• Accessories should be flexible and made of soft material, not sharp or pointed.

Treats

• Parents should inspect all treats and throw away any unwrapped or loosely wrapped items.
• Homemade items or baked goods should be discarded unless you personally know who gave them.
• Parents of young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies and small toys.
• Inspect all commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes or tears in wrappers. Dispose of anything that looks suspicious.

  Parents Should Also..

• Supervise children younger than 12 years of age trick-or-treating.
• Not send children out on an empty stomach. You don't want kids to eat any treats before there is a chance to inspect them.
• Plan a trick-or-treating route in a known neighborhood and set a return time.

Children Should..

• Not enter home or apartments without adult supervision.
• Not ride bicycles, which could catch costumes in the chains or spokes.
• Travel in groups when adult supervision is not provided.
• Use flashlights and look both ways before crossing streets.
• Stay on sidewalks, not in the street. If there are no sidewalks, walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
• Go to familiar neighborhoods. Only go to well-lit houses and remain outside while waiting for treats.

Motorists Should..

• Slow down, especially in residential areas.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleyways slowly and carefully.
• Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
• Have children get out of cars on the curbside.

Homeowners Should..

• Turn on an outside light if welcoming trick-or-treaters.
• Clear walkways and yards.
• Keep dogs and other animals inside and away from the door.
• Keep highly flammable decorations, such as dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, heaters, etc.
• Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating for trick-or-treaters. If using candles to illuminate Jack-O-Lanterns, place pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including doorsteps, walkways and yards.