Costumes

• Purchase only labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant costumes, wigs and masks. These labels do not mean these items won’t catch fire. Instead, they indicate that these fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly, once removed from the ignition source.
• Instruct your child to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Review with them the principle of “stop, drop, and roll” (stop immediately, drop to the ground covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames).

Trick or Treat

Decorations

• Keep dried flowers, cornstalks, crepe paper, and other highly flammable decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, candles, heaters, etc.  The National Fire Protection Association reports that decorations for special events like Halloween accounted for an average of 1,150 home fires each year and that most of these fires could be attributed to candles.
• Keep Jack-O-Lanterns and electric lamps or lights far away from drapes, other decorations, high traffic areas, or areas where children and pets will be.
• When decorating walkways and yards, use flashlights or battery-operated candles in place of wax candles. They are much safer for visitors, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.

Jack O'Lanterns

Beggar’s Night and Parties

• Take a flashlight (with fresh batteries) along to help you see and be seen.
• Help your children locate the exits and escape routes in the buildings and homes where they attend parties.
• If you are hosting a party, keep exits clear of decorations, ensuring nothing blocks escape routes.
• Add reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility in the dark.

Wishing you a Fire-Safe Halloween!

Guest Contributor & Author: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com.