Halloween Safety Tips from Cal Fire & Local Events on Halloween

Halloween is an exciting time of year for “kids” big and small.  “Decorations, costumes and parties create a festive feeling as fall colors surround us.  Keeping everyone safe is our primary job. With that said, I would like to take a moment to remind everyone, young and old, of simple fire safety tips that will keep you and your loved ones out of harm’s way, ” said Cal Fire Unit Chief Kelly Keenan of the Amador-El Dorado Unit.

• Make sure Halloween costumes allow a child to see clearly and walk without tripping.  Make-up is a better choice than a mask, especially for very young children.

• Costumes should be flame resistant.  For store bought costumes, check the packaging or labels for specific information.  If the costume is homemade, fire resistant sprays are available and can be sprayed on the costume before the child wears the costume.

• If the costume is a dark color add reflective tape to make the costume more visible at night.

• Be sure to have flashlights to light the way for trick or treaters.

• Do not use candles; instead replace them with battery operated candles available at your local dollar stores.

• Make sure your decorations (scarecrow, jack o’ lanterns, etc.) are flame resistant and that they do not block entry/exit routes.

• Review the Stop-Drop and Roll fire safety lesson before going out, not everyone may be as fire safe as you and someone may have a candle that can catch a child’s costume on fire.  Better to be safe than sorry.

• If you attend a party away from home, make sure you know where your exits in the event of fire.

•  Check the candy, make sure all are properly wrapped. If in doubt, throw it out!

Local events on Halloween, Oct. 31

• Halloween Parade on Main Street in Jackson at 5:30 pm

• Amador Flower Farm Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze, Plymouth 9 a.m – 4.p.m.

• Halloween Spooktacular at Town Center, El Dorado Hills 3:30-6:00 p.m.

• Trick or Treat on Main Street in Placerville from 4-6 p.m.

• Trick or Treat and Ghost Train Rides at Burke Junction, Cameron Park 4:30-7 p.m.

• Haunted House at Town Center, El Dorado Hills 5:30-7:30 p.m. cost $8/person