When roaming the streets in the quest for candy on Halloween night, it’s important for families to stay safe.
He added that, in all the excitement, it’s easy to lose sight of safety concerns.
Here are Perron’s five tips on how to avoid potential problems:
Pay attention to decorations
Among the most important safety tips is to remember to pay attention to where you put your decorations.
“Statistics show that, out of the few dozen fires that we’re going to have on the Halloween period…most, or all of them, would be because of decorations,” Perron said.
“Two out of five will be because of candles.”
He recommends using extension cords that are specifically for outdoor use and making sure they are not in the way.
Another alternative is using battery-powered decorations.
Costume safety
Perron mentioned costumes for children shouldn’t trail on the ground as it could potentially be dangerous, especially when they’re running up driveways in groups.
If kids are wearing masks, make sure the eye holes are big enough for them to see – both in front of them, but also peripherally.
Let there be light
Perron said having good lighting when trick-or-treating is vital to everyone’s safety and recommends carrying a flashlight.
“Most of the treat run is going to be done at night, so you need light,” he said.
“You can have flashlights or glow sticks. It can be part of the costume.”
Going solo
When kids are old enough to go trick-or-treating without a chaperone, Perron stressed they should always go out in groups – never alone.
“That’ll avoid any kind of bad thing that will happen,” he said.
Check the candy
Once you’ve gathered your stash of goodies, Perron said it’s important for parents to check each piece.
“We’ve heard all kinds of stories about candy being tampered with,” said Perron.
He recommends adults go through the entire batch of sweet treats – “not to eat it all,” but to look for any potentially dangerous items.