Oklahoma Red Cross Offers Halloween Safety Tips

The Red Cross released safety tips this week for Halloween festivities. Families planning to trick-or-treat or have visitors at their homes should prepare for potential holiday hazards, according to the Red Cross.

Safety tips include:

• Look for flame-resistant costumes.
• Plan the trick-or-treat route and make sure adults know where children are going. A parent or responsible adult should accompany young children as they make their way around the neighborhood.
• Make sure the trick-or-treaters have a flashlight. Add reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags. Have everyone wear light-colored clothing in order to be seen.
• Visit only the homes that have a porch light on. Accept treats at the door. Never go inside.
• Consider using face paint instead of masks, which can cover the eyes and make it hard to see.
• Walk only on the sidewalks, not in the street. If no sidewalk is available, walk at the edge of the roadway, facing traffic. Look both ways before crossing the street and cross only at the corner. Don't cut across yards or use alleys. Don't cross between parked cars.
• Be cautious around pets and any other animals.

Other safety recommendations include:

• Sweep leaves from the sidewalks and steps.
• Clear the porch or front yard of any obstacles that a child could trip over.
• Restrain any household pets.
• Use a glow stick instead of a candle in the jack-o-lantern to avoid a fire hazard.