The Las Cruces police and fire departments remind parents and trick-or-treaters of all ages to take the necessary steps to make this Halloween a safe holiday for everyone involved
Possibly the most important safety precaution – especially for parents and caregivers of young children – is to make sure their trick-or-treaters are adequately chaperoned by a parent or responsible adult.
And residents who invite trick-or-treaters onto their property should ensure that sidewalks and walkways are adequately lighted and safe for their guests.
Halloween safety tips include:
- Go trick’-or-treating with your child and, if possible, in a group.
- Make sure that costumes are visible to motorists and homeowners.
- Use a flashlight while trick’-or-treating after dark and attach a glow stick (available for free Oct. 31 at Las Cruces fire stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 8).
- Assure that costumes fit appropriately and do not interfere with walking or vision.
- Keep costumes and decorations away from open flames such as candles in jack-o’-lanterns.
- Consider using flameless, battery-operated candles or glow sticks in jack-o’-lanterns.
- Trick-or-treaters should keep to sidewalks and proper walkways.
- When crossing streets, do so only in designated crosswalks and only after checking for traffic.
- Properly contain pets, especially large dogs. They may not bite but could easily scare or knock down a small child.
- Motorists should be on the lookout for more pedestrians, especially small children and primarily on residential streets.
- Thoroughly inspect all candy and moderate the amount your child may consume.
- Call police immediately to report any inappropriate behavior, potentially dangerous situations or suspicious activity.
Trick-or-treaters also should be conscious to the fact that not all homeowners celebrate Halloween, or enjoy ghosts and goblins knocking on their doors. The basic rules of thumb are to refrain from trick’-or-treating at homes with no Halloween displays or without adequate lighting, and keep your activities limited to respectable hours.