Halloween Costumes and Safety

Our friends over at Forest Grove Fire and Rescue have a great article we wanted to share with you on safety for your kids this Halloween Season. A link back to the FGF&R website blog is at the end of the column.

This time of year the local retail stores are full of Halloween costumes and the kids are already planning what version of movie character, scary monster, or cute little princess is going to help them get the most candy this year. Halloween is one of the biggest holidays of the year for kids and as parents we want them to be able to go out there and have fun, but we also want our little ones to be safe while they trick or treat. So what can you do as a parent to help make sure that your child has a safe Halloween this year?

It all starts with the costume, and you want to choose a costume that has certain safety features. Look for costumes, wigs, and masks that have a fire resistant label - fire resistant doesn't mean that the costume can't burn, but it does mean that it should resist burning and should be able to be extinguished easily if it does catch on fire. Along with flame resistance you should look for a costume that isn't too baggy or too long; this can help prevent not only accidently catching the costume on fire from a candle or lamp, but it can also help your child move easier and not trip over the costume. Fit is also important when it comes to the shoes the kids will wear, trick or treating in mom's heels can be a real problem for little feet so choose good fitting shoes that are warm, dry, and comfortable for the child. With Halloween comes earlier sunset and time spent out after dark so making sure that your child's costume has some reflective material to help them be seen at night is very important. You can add things like reflective fabric strips or decals to the costume or candy buckets to help motorists see your little trick or treater easier in low light or dark conditions. Another great idea to help when it gets dark is to use glow sticks on the costume, and have the child carry a flashlight with them that is turned on at all times while they are walking.

http://forestgrovefire.blogspot.com/