Halloween Safety

Halloween and harvest festivals are fun for families, but they can also present serious safety risks. From traffic and trick-or-treating to pumpkin-carving, AFSEC has the tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Kids are twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than on any other night of the year.

Decorations are the first thing to ignite in 900 reported home fires each year.
REF: NFPA

The 28th Bomb Wing Safety Office encourages parents and children to take extra safety precautions before going trick-or-treating on Halloween night. Actions such as looking both ways before crossing the street and keeping children close when using crosswalks can help prevent accidents and injuries.

Always trick-or-treat with an adult
Only trick-or-treat in well lit, familiar areas
Never enter a stranger's home
If trick-or-treating after dark, fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags
Check treats before eating or allowing kids to eat them

All costumes, wigs and accessories should be fire-resistant
Avoid masks, which can obstruct vision
Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags or use glow sticks after dark
Make sure Halloween makeup is nontoxic and test it in a small area first
Remove makeup before children go to bed to prevent skin and eye irritation

A group of Okinawan children walk from house-to-house during a Halloween trick-or-treat event Oct. 31, 2019, on Kadena Air Base, Japan. Japanese residents participated in a cultural exchange allowing a portion of local communities to experience trick-or-treating with service members and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Rhett Isbell)

Slow down and be especially alert for kids in neighborhoods
Turn on your headlights
Take extra time...look for kids in intersections, medians and on curbs
Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly
Popular trick-or-treating hours: 5:30pm - 9:30pm

Use battery-operated candles or glow sticks instead of candles in jack-o-lanterns
Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources like light bulbs or heaters
Tell children to stay away from open flames and make sure they know how to "stop, drop and roll"
Make sure all smoke alarms are working
Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes

Keesler families attend Ghouls in the Park at the marina park on Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, Oct. 29, 2021. The Halloween event also featured a haunted house, a boo bus and various games for children of all ages. (U.S. Air Force photo by Kemberly Groue)

USE THE RIGHT TOOLS: Use the specialty pumpkin carving kits designed to saw through rinds and scoop out innards without being razor-sharp
KEEP IT CLEAN, DRY AND BRIGHT: Carve in a well-lit, clean and dry area
DON'T LET KIDS CARVE: Children 14 and younger should stick to drawing on the pattern and scooping out the seeds
CARVE YOUR PUMPKIN WITH THE TOP ON: This way you won't be tempted to put your hand inside and cut toward your hand
FIRST AID: If someone does get cut, apply direct pressure to the wound using a dry, clean cloth. If the bleeding doesn't stop in 15 minutes, go to the emergency room or urgent care clinic