Hubble, bubble, toil…

The noticeable chill in the air, the tumbling leaves and a heavy morning dew can only mean one thing…Halloween is nearly upon us! Halloween is a great time for kids, they love the dressing up, the decorations and most of all the trick or treating!

At Blackburn Alarms, we never like to take the fun out of things, but we do like to put the safety in. So here are our top tips for staying safe this Halloween.

Stranger danger is not something which should just be practised at Halloween, but during all the excitement, it is easy to let down your guard, so a quick reminder on staying safe will do no harm. Ensure your children are accompanied by an appropriate adult when they go trick or treating. Kids should knock at the door, step back and loudly proclaim trick or treat! Let the adult come out and put the sweets in the bag.

Of course safety also applies to adults and kids at home. Never answer the door assuming it is trick or treaters, check through a window or a peephole. Remember, if in doubt, keep them out!

Remind children of the rules of the road. Whilst they are clutching buckets and broomsticks, it might be difficult to hold their hands so remind them constantly that they need to stick to the pavement and only cross the road when told to do so.

Check that the costume is flame retardant and also keep hemlines on the short side to avoid tripping accidents. Take a look at any swords or wands and make sure they have no sharp and dangerous edges. Choose a costume with glow in the dark appliqués which will enable your child to be seen more easily. Also avoid overly bloody costumes which might frighten smaller children.

Don’t let your child munch as they go! Take the sweets home and check them out on the kitchen counter. If you see any suspect sweets or sweets which may trigger allergies, remove these before allowing your child to feast! Also think about the sweets you give to children, avoid nuts, hard sweets and chewing gum.

Have a happy Halloween and stay safe.