Every year, we spend time and energy on the perfect costume, but we don’t spend nearly as much time discussing Halloween safety. We hope these tips will help to keep you, your family, and your home safe this Halloween.

• Always accompany children when trick-or-treating. Discuss the importance of never entering someone's home or car for candy and to only approach homes with a porch light on, and ideally, a well-lit pathway. Make sure everyone in your party has a flashlight and/or glowsticks.
• Check the candy your child receives. Make sure the candy is sealed and wrapped in manufacturer’s wrappers. If something appears to have been opened, throw it away. Also, don’t allow your child to have any “home-made” treats unless you know the person who made them.
• Make sure costumes are safe. It is best to make sure all costumes, including wigs, are fire-retardant. Also, make sure that your costumes do not present a tripping hazard and do not obstruct sight. Lastly, try to incorporate reflector strips or glow sticks in your costumes to ensure that everyone can see you (and your spookiness) in the dark.
• Planning on handing out candy? Make sure your home and walkways are well lit. Remove hoses, leaves, and anything else that can be easily tripped over. LED Candles are recommended, especially for Jack-O-Lanterns, to reduce the risk of fire hazards.
• Are you celebrating with your pet? Firstly, make sure all candy is out of your pet's reach, especially chocolate. You also don’t want to dress up your pet if they are not comfortable with the costume. This can create stress on the animal that may cause them to react in a dangerous manner. If you plan on decorating your home, make sure to keep candles up and out of reach of your pets. Dogs that are excited about the constant door ringing may knock them over with their wagging tail and curious cats my get burned by the open flames. If your dog gets nervous or frightened by strangers or the door bell, make sure to keep them somewhere safe and contained where they can be comfortable and will not run out an open front door.
• Throwing a Halloween party? If you want to use dry ice to create an spooky atmosphere, make sure you do not put it in anything that will be eaten - dry ice is not intended for consumption and can cause sickness. If you still want a spooky punch bowl, use two nested bowls with the outer bowl containing the dry ice and the inner bowl holding the punch.

Here’s to a spooky and safe Halloween!