Tips for a Safe Halloween

Safety is the Best Treat: Tips for a Safe Halloween

Everyone here at Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts wishes 

you a safe and happy Halloween!

www.brucemccorrys.com

Halloween cannot pass without a few scares. A good scare can be fun and kids may go out of the way to explore the mysteries that await them on Halloween night. However, a scare is not the same as danger. The many kinds of child fatalities that are reported on the Halloween eve have made the media call it a dangerous day. Getting prepared for a safe Halloween is something that the kids and parents cannot avoid. 

Here are some tips to enjoy a fun and safe Halloween!

1) Getting Safe Costume and Props

• Make sure to go for costumes that don’t involve potentially dangerous add-ons that are sharp or inflammable. Costumes that emulate swords, spears and sabers are better not chosen.
• Pick costumes that are comfortable to wear and move around. Skinny costumes can give skin allergies and rashes. Shaggy or hanging costumes increases the chances of tripping.
• Try to pick masks instead of makeup as kids have tender skin prone to allergies. If you are going for makeup, make sure to test it beforehand and remove it after. 
• Make sure to carry a flashlight, a bottle of water and some necessary first-aids. Learn to take care of small mishaps like cuts and scratches.

2) Planning a Safe Trick-or-Treating

• Find some friends and stick together as a group while trick-or-treating. Never stray away from your band of friends
• Ask your parents to write phone number and address on a piece of paper and give it to you.
• Do not venture beyond familiar regions or explore strange houses or streets. Always keep to well-lit roads and never stray to darker areas.

3) Eating Safely on Halloween

• Accept treats only from people in the neighborhood or those whom you personally know. 
• If an unfamiliar person offers to help, it is better to politely deny the offer. 
• If strangers or suspicious-looking people give you treats, do not eat them until you reach home. Drugged or doped treats are a common trick used by kidnappers and assaulters.
• Choose smaller candies or lifesavers for younger children. Make sure that they don’t eat treats that may cause them to choke.

4) Never Forget Road Safety

• Brightly colored costumes are a great way to make sure that drivers easily spot you on road. Chances of pedestrian accidents are higher when they wear dark clothes that merge into surroundings especially at night.
• Walk along with your friends in a group. Avoid straying to the roads and keep to sidewalks.
• Be alert to vehicles and traffic lights when you cross the street.
• Make sure you can see properly through your costume. Avoid masks with wrongly placed eye-holes, fancy goggles or lenses and dense makeup that impairs vision.

5) Dealing with Emergencies and Dangers

• Always keep an eye open for potential dangers. Being alert is a good way to recognize dangers before it is too late. Ask your friends to look out for each other.
• It is great if you learn the basics of some self-defense like karate or kung fu before you go trick-or-treating. If you find yourself in some kind of danger from unknown people or situations, you can use them for distraction or protection.
• Even if you don’t know any self-defense, do not panic. Stay calm and seek the help of older trick-or-treaters, adult passersby, or run into a nearby home to seek help.

A good scare is fun only when it is a safe scare. 

Everyone here at Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts wishes 

you a safe and happy Halloween!

www.brucemccorrys.com