Many beloved Halloween traditions require close adult supervision, or should be avoided altogether. They include dark and spooky Halloween parties, decorating a Halloween party location so as to block doorways that go in and out, candles with live flames in jack-o-lanterns, lighted pumpkins inside a house or adjacent to house or garage siding. The OSFM reports that, nationwide, approximately 900 annual U.S. house fires are started by decorations. Almost 400 of these annual fires are lit by candles.
For trick-or-treating, the Illinois State Fire Marshall reminds parents to help the trick-or-treaters to choose safe costumes and behavior. Costume-wearers should keep away from jack o’lanterns with lighted candles. Masks and long, trailing fabrics should be closely supervised. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that Americans suffer approximately 3,200 Halloween-related injuries every year that require hospital treatment. The vast majority of these injuries are simple problems for which a patient is treated and released.
Stay safe and have a very Happy Halloween!