Planning ahead is the key to ensuring a safe and fun holiday

St. Louis, Monday, October 29, 2007 - As parents and children get ready for Halloween, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter has issued important safety tips to encourage families to make preparedness a top priority during the fun and busy holiday season.

"Halloween is a great opportunity for families to enjoy time together," said Nicole Holtgrefe, director of preparedness and client services for the St. Louis Area Chapter. "The Red Cross wants to emphasize that proper safety precautions can ensure that everyone has a great time."

Costume Safety:

• Masks can restrict peripheral vision and hearing. If choosing a mask, ensure it fits well, offers good ventilation and has large eye holes. Or, go with non-toxic face paint instead.
• Big hats, helmets or scarves can be problematic. If kids must have them, try on the hats to ensure a proper fit and secure hats and scarves well to prevent slipping.
• Select light-colored or reflective costumes to be seen by drivers. The same goes for props. If necessary, add reflective tape or trim to accessories.
• Purchase fire-retardant costumes. Check tags and labels to ensure they are flame-resistant.
• Large or loose costumes-including billowy skirts, sleeves or capes-can cause falls and may pose a fire risk. Select appropriately-sized costumes and keep trick-or-treaters away from candles.
• Choose sturdy shoes that fit and be sure that shoe covers will remain secure while trekking around the neighborhood.
• Check costumes and accessories for loose pieces or parts, such as buttons, that might be choking hazards.
• Accessorize with care. Look for soft, flexible props - not rigid or sharp. Select props and costume accessories at an appropriate scale for children.

Trick or Treat Safety:

• Clear porches, lawns and sidewalks of any debris, tools, etc., that could cause visitors to trip and fall.
• Have a well-lit path and consider adding a temporary fence around decorations that may be an obstacle.
• Place jack o'lanterns away from doorways or landings.
• If electronic decorations have short cords, use a surge protector with a longer cord to reach outlets, then use care in placing that cord so it is out of the traffic path. Be careful not to overload circuits. When decorating outside, only use items that are rated for outdoor use.
• Check and discard holiday lights or electronic decorations with broken or frayed cords or plugs.
• Keep exits and steps clear of decorations and other obstacles.
• Consider string lights or other electronic or battery-operated lighting in lieu of candles to decorate your home. If you do choose candles, keep them away from all flammables (fake spider webs, paper streamers, dried cornstalks, etc.) and never leave burning candles unattended.
• Plan party menus with care. Avoid small, hard foods that pose a choking risk. While particularly relevant to small children, anyone eating while talking and laughing at a party could find a bite "going down the wrong way." Select treats that are soft rather than hard candies that can get lodged in a child's throat.
• Decorations also need to be age appropriate and hung correctly. Watch not only for objects that children might swallow but also for decorations that could trip or entangle visitors or have rough or sharp edges that cut or poke.
• Children aren't the only ones looking to score sweet treats at Halloween. Before, during and after the holiday, store candy, particularly chocolate, where canine family members can't get it. Even a small amount of chocolate can be fatal to dogs.

Pumpkin Carving Safety:

• Select a stable, flat surface with good lighting for carving your pumpkin.
• Use blunt tools with serrations specially designed for cutting thick-skinned pumpkins.
• Adults should do the cutting and supervise children at all times during the activity.
• Draw and follow patterns on the pumpkin instead of freehand carving. Or, use paint, markers and other materials to decorate your pumpkin-not only is it safer, but it also means less mess and provides a longer lasting display.
• Consider battery-operated or electric lights for an interesting and safe way to illuminate your creation this year. One-use glow sticks also work well as an alternative to candles.

About Parental Guidance:
The Red Cross recommends that parents talk to their children about Halloween in advance of the holiday. By talking with children now, parents can improve the odds of the children remembering advice later. Try associating safety tips with a holiday activity and repeat them often while preparing. For example, take a few minutes while doing the following:

• Carving pumpkins to review the rules of stop, look and listen for crossing the street and stop, drop and roll in case a piece of clothing were to catch on fire.
• Shopping for candy and costumes to talk with children about only going to houses they know (with lights on) and waiting to eat their candy until it has been checked by an adult.
• Decorating your home or lawn to go over important rules such as not hiding between cars or darting into the street.

For More Information:
To learn more about American Red Cross programs and services, including preparedness information that includes Halloween safety tips, please call the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or log on to www.redcrossstl.org.

About the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter:
Founded in 1917, the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter celebrates 90 years of dedicated service, providing emergency relief and preparedness training more than 410,000 times each year. The Red Cross is not a government agency and depends on the efforts of thousands of volunteers and donors to provide a wide range of community support services, including disaster relief, first aid and CPR training, water safety, services to military personnel and support for blood services. The Chapter, a United Way agency, provides programs and services to St. Louis City, St. Louis County, St. Charles County and Jefferson County in Missouri, as well as Monroe, St. Clair (including Scott Air Force Base) and part of Madison County in Illinois. All disaster relief services are provided free of charge thanks to the generosity of the American people. To learn more about Red Cross programs, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help, contact the St. Louis Area Chapter at 314.516.2800 or www.redcrossstl.org.

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