Halloween safety tips
Halloween is Friday, October 31st. Safety should be everyone’s goal to make the occasion fun instead of a tragic nightmare. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office offers the following safety tips:
For trick-or-treaters
– Parents should accompany young children.
– Don’t go inside a stranger’s house, no matter what anyone says.
– Trick-or-Treaters should always be in groups so they aren’t a tempting target for real life goblins.
– Make a map of your Trick-or-Treat route and check it against the sex offender database.
– Stay in your own neighborhood or look for publicized events at area malls or shopping centers.
– Stop only at well lighted houses.
– Carry a flashlight or light stick.
– Wear light colored clothing or costumes.
– Use make up instead of a mask so you can see.
– Always keep a safe distance between you and moving cars.
– Be respectful of other people and their property.
– Screen all treats before you eat them.
– Don’t accept and, especially, don’t eat anything not commercially wrapped.
– Start early, end early. Use sidewalks or walk facing traffic.
– Stop, look and listen at corners.
– Walk, don’t run.
– Don’t go between parked cars or crisscross back and forth across streets or into traffic.
– Don’t carry sharp instruments. And never carry a lighted torch or candle.
Reminder to parents
Do your homework:
– Visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offender and Predator database at offender.fdle.state.fl.us to ensure the residences your children are visiting aren’t occupied by a registered offender.
Make sure your kids dress up safely:
– Check that the costumes are flame-retardant so the little ones aren’t in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
– 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 more importantly 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.
Make trick-or-treat trouble free:
– Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups so they aren’t 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 parents know where they’ll 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 someone has a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
Treats:
– Kids need to know not to eat 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 a snack beforehand.
– Check out all treats at home in a well-lighted place.
– For young children, remove choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
– What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Discard candy or treats that are homemade, unwrapped or if they appear tampered (i.e. pinholes, torn wrappers, etc.) Wash all fresh fruit thoroughly, inspect it for holes including small punctures and cut it open before allowing children to eat it.
Motorists beware
As you travel Lee County streets and roadways, remember alternative activities, parties and events are scheduled in the days and nights preceding and on Halloween. Keep these traffic safety tips in mind:
– When the “trick-or-treaters” begin their neighborhood trek, exercise extra vigilance for those excited, costumed youths whose exuberance may overcome their awareness of vehicles.
– If you’re one of many adults who will don a costume and drive to a party or event, check to be sure your costume doesn’t impede your ability to operate your vehicle in a safe manner.
– If celebrations include alcohol, whether hosting or participating, be responsible. As always, drivers need to remember, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” Don’t drink and drive.
– To report the location of an impaired driver in Lee County dial 911.
Halloween safety tips
Halloween is Friday, October 31st. Safety should be everyone’s goal to make the occasion fun instead of a tragic nightmare. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office offers the following safety tips:
For trick-or-treaters
– Parents should accompany young children.
– Don’t go inside a stranger’s house, no matter what anyone says.
– Trick-or-Treaters should always be in groups so they aren’t a tempting target for real life goblins.
– Make a map of your Trick-or-Treat route and check it against the sex offender database.
– Stay in your own neighborhood or look for publicized events at area malls or shopping centers.
– Stop only at well lighted houses.
– Carry a flashlight or light stick.
– Wear light colored clothing or costumes.
– Use make up instead of a mask so you can see.
– Always keep a safe distance between you and moving cars.
– Be respectful of other people and their property.
– Screen all treats before you eat them.
– Don’t accept and, especially, don’t eat anything not commercially wrapped.
– Start early, end early. Use sidewalks or walk facing traffic.
– Stop, look and listen at corners.
– Walk, don’t run.
– Don’t go between parked cars or crisscross back and forth across streets or into traffic.
– Don’t carry sharp instruments. And never carry a lighted torch or candle.
Reminder to parents
Do your homework:
– Visit the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Sexual Offender and Predator database at offender.fdle.state.fl.us to ensure the residences your children are visiting aren’t occupied by a registered offender.
Make sure your kids dress up safely:
– Check that the costumes are flame-retardant so the little ones aren’t in danger near burning jack-o-lanterns and other fire hazards.
– 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 more importantly 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.
Make trick-or-treat trouble free:
– Trick-or-treaters should always be in groups so they aren’t 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 parents know where they’ll 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 someone has a flashlight and pick well-lighted streets.
Treats:
– Kids need to know not to eat 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 a snack beforehand.
– Check out all treats at home in a well-lighted place.
– For young children, remove choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies or small toys.
– What to eat? Only unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Discard candy or treats that are homemade, unwrapped or if they appear tampered (i.e. pinholes, torn wrappers, etc.) Wash all fresh fruit thoroughly, inspect it for holes including small punctures and cut it open before allowing children to eat it.
Motorists beware
As you travel Lee County streets and roadways, remember alternative activities, parties and events are scheduled in the days and nights preceding and on Halloween. Keep these traffic safety tips in mind:
– When the “trick-or-treaters” begin their neighborhood trek, exercise extra vigilance for those excited, costumed youths whose exuberance may overcome their awareness of vehicles.
– If you’re one of many adults who will don a costume and drive to a party or event, check to be sure your costume doesn’t impede your ability to operate your vehicle in a safe manner.
– If celebrations include alcohol, whether hosting or participating, be responsible. As always, drivers need to remember, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” Don’t drink and drive.
– To report the location of an impaired driver in Lee County dial 911.
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