Red Cross offers ‘tricks’ to safety

• Advocate staff report
• Published: Oct 30, 2009 - Page: 1D

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Ghouls and goblins will take over Saturday night, but even scary creatures need to be safe and celebrate Halloween right.

Halloween’s greatest hazards aren’t vampires and villains, but falls, costume mishaps and automobile collisions.

Here’s 13 lucky tips from the Red Cross to help your family have a safe Halloween.

1. Map out the route that you plan to roam so adults are assured you will find your way home.
2. From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, everyone should remember to bring their flashlights.
3. If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don’t go inside.
4. When you get ready to put on your disguise, use face paint instead of masks, which will cover your eyes.
5. Always remember, before you embark, to wear light-colored clothing to be seen in the dark. (And remember to use reflective tape, even on bikes, skateboards and brooms.)
6. Whether you walk, slither or sneak, do it on the sidewalks and not in the street.
7. As you roam through the neighborhood collecting your treats, please look both ways before crossing the street. (And cross at the corner.)
8. Wigs, capes and costumes are flammable attire, so avoid open flames to prevent a fire.
9. Use a glow stick instead of a candle so your jack-o-lantern isn’t a safety gamble.
10. You may fly on a broom or a space ship from Mars, but please be on the lookout for drivers in cars. (And don’t hide between parked vehicles).
11. Monsters and zombies should stay off the lawn, and only visit homes with their porch lights turned on.
12. You may be dressed as a werewolf, a cat or a frog, but be cautious around strange animals, especially dogs.
13. Have a grown-up inspect your candy when you’re done trick-or-treating to remove open packages and choking hazards before eating.

 For more Halloween safety tips for motorists, parents and homeowners, visit http://www.redcross.org.