It is most natural that the dead should
choose such an in-between time to return
to the world of the living – if
only briefly – from their silent
abode in the realms beyond.
To the vast majority of people Halloween
is associated with images of shining jack-o’-lanterns,
plastic decorations of skeletons, witches,
spiders and the like, ranks upon ranks
of costume-clad children with sticky hands
and candy-filled sacks, and the occasional
bad imitation of Bela Lugosi at annual
Halloween parties.
There are many ways to keep
your child safe at Halloween, when they are
more prone to accidents and injuries. The
excitement of children and adults at this
time of year sometimes makes them forget to
be careful. Simple common sense can do a lot
to stop any tragedies from happening.
Halloween
Safety Tips for Kids and Adults, ghost,
witches,vampires, zombies and goblins,
and for all those Trick R' Treaters
young and old! Everyone wants to have
a safe and happy Halloween for themselves,
their guests and their children. Using
safety tips and common sense can help
you make the most of your Halloween
season and make it as enjoyable for
your kids as it is for you!
Trick or treating
isn't what it used to be. It's not
as safe to let kids walk the streets
alone. Send a responsible adult
or older teenager with them.
Have
a pumpkin carving party for your children
and their friends a couple nights
before Halloween. They'll enjoy looking
at their creations for a few days
before they have to be thrown out.
Check your local
grocery store or craft store for
Halloween cook books full of tasty
treats on a horror theme for both
kids and adults.
Serve
your kids a filling meal before trick
or treating and they won't be tempted
to eat any candy before they bring
it home for you to check.
Anytime a child
has an accident, it's tragic. The
last thing that you want to happen
is for your child to be hurt on
a holiday, it would forever live
in the minds of the child and the
family.
There are many
ways to keep your child safe at
Halloween, when they are more prone
to accidents and injuries. The excitement
of children and adults at this time
of year sometimes makes them forget
to be careful. Simple common sense
can do a lot to stop any tragedies
from happening.
Here, you'll find
helpful tips and ideas to make the
most of everyone's favorite holiday
of the year ........ HALLOWEEN!
Make
Halloween a fun, safe and happy time
for your kids and they'll carry on
the tradition that you taught them
to their own families some day!
Help your child pick out
or make a costume that will be safe. Make
it fire proof, the eye holes should be large
enough for good peripheral vision.
If you set jack-o-lanterns on your porch with
candles in them, make sure that they are far
enough out of the way so that kids costumes
won't accidentally be set on fire. Better
still use PumpkinLights.com to light pumpkins.
They make a light that looks like a flickering
candle flame!
Make sure that if your child is carrying a
prop, such as a scythe, butcher knife or a
pitchfork, that the tips are smooth and flexible
enough to not cause injury if fallen on.
Kids always want to help with the pumpkin
carving. Small children shouldn't be allowed
to use a sharp knife to cut the top or the
face. There are many kits available that come
with tiny saws that work better then knives
and are safer, although you can be cut by
them as well. It's best to let the kids clean
out the pumpkin and draw a face on it, which
you can carve for them.
Treating your kids to a spooky Halloween dinner
will make them less likely to eat the candy
they collect before you have a chance to check
it for them.
Teaching your kids basic everyday safety such
as not getting into cars or talking to strangers,
watching both ways before crossing streets
and crossing when the lights tell you to,
will help make them safer when they are out
Trick or Treating.
Know the route your kids
will be taking if you aren't going with them.
The best bet is to make sure that an adult
is going with them. If you can't take them,
see if another parent or a teen aged sibling
can go along.
Know what other activities a child may be
attending, such as parties, school or mall
functions.
Make sure you set a time that they should
be home by. Make sure they know how important
it is for them to be home on time.
Explain to children the difference between
tricks and vandalism. Throwing eggs at a house
may seem like fun but they need to know the
other side of the coin as well, clean up and
damages can ruin Halloween. If they are caught
vandalizing, make them clean up the mess they've
made.
Explain to your kids that animal cruelty is
not acceptable. Kids may know this on their
own but peer pressure can be a bad thing.
Make sure that they know that harming animals
is not only morally wrong but punishable by
law and will not be tolerated.
TRICK
OR TREAT
Trick or Treating should
be one of the great adventures of Halloween
for kids! They can get dressed in scary costumes
and go door to door, begging "Tricks
or Treats!" from neighbors or at the
local mall. Lots of towns have a Harvest Festival
so kids can Trick-or-Treat safely. But going
door to door is the stuff of childhood memories!
It should be a fun time, without trouble and
pain, so following some easy tips can keep
your child safe every Halloween.
Children should go out
during daylight hours only unless accompanied
by a responsible adult.
Plan a safe route so parents know where their
older kids will be at all times. Set a time
for their return home. Make sure that your
child is old enough and responsible enough
to go out by themselves.
Let your children know not to cut through
back alleys and fields. Make sure they know
to stay in populated places and don't go off
the beaten track. Stay in well lighted areas.
Stop only at familiar houses in your own neighborhood
unless they are accompanied by an adult.
Small children should never be allowed to
go out alone on Halloween. Make sure an older
sibling or adult is with them.
Instruct your children not to eat any treats
until they bring them home to be examined
by you.
Instruct your child to never go into the home
of a stranger or get into their car.
Make sure your child carries a flashlight,
glow stick or has reflective tape on their
costume to make them more visible to cars.
Let them know that they should stay together
as a group if going out to Trick or Treat
without an adult.
HALLOWEEN
SAFETY TIPS FOR PARTIES
Having a Halloween party, either one for adult
or for children, is definitely great fun!
In order to have things run smoothly and with
no accidents, here are some tips that can
be used to make your party more enjoyable.
With a little planning and time to prepare,
you have throw a fun, safe Halloween party!
If using dry ice in a punch
bowl, make sure that the person serving keeps
any dry ice chips out of drinks! It can cause
severe injury if ingested.
If you are holding your party in your house,
make sure that you move any breakable pieces
of furniture or knick-knacks to another room
where they can't get broken. A forgotten heirloom
vase that hits the floor could ruin the night
for you.
To keep things moving for either an adult
party or child's party, make sure that you
have some games, like a scavenger hunt or
a murder mystery planned in advance.
If you are planning a party for your kids
and their friends, see if you can get some
of the other mothers to help out with the
planning, baking and what ever else needs
to be done. Make a block party out of it!
Whip up a batch of Halloween cupcakes the
day before, have the kids help you out. Any
treats or party food that can be made in advance
is always a big help!
Having a pumpkin carving party on the night
before Halloween can be a great way to start
off the festivities. Either adults, kids or
both, you can have a wonderful time and get
all your pumpkins carved at the same time!
Set up a table with treats, punch and goodies
in your front yard if you live in a small
neighborhood. Invite the children and their
parents to stop by for refreshments, you'll
start a small party right in your front yard!
Just make sure you set up a nice yard haunt,
too!
Adults like to have as much
fun during Halloween as the kids do! Adult
Halloween parties tend to be much wilder than
children's parties with dancing, alcohol use
and catered food.
Using common sense can make
a party a great one and avoid anything that
may ruin it.
Keep an eye on the drinking,
don't let it get out of hand. Take the keys
away from anyone that may be driving. Have
one person stay sober and offer to drive those
people home who may be too intoxicated to
drive.
When deciding on a menu,
check and see if anyone attending the party
has food allergies that might be a problem.
Common food allergies to dairy products, peanuts
and shell fish can really put a damper on
the festivities.
Planning ahead for problems
can make all the difference for your Halloween
party!
It
is widely accepted that the jack-o’-lantern
came to life in Ireland where originally
turnips were hollowed out, carved with
simple faces or symbols and used as
lanterns for those traveling through
the lamentable darkness of Halloween
night. But they also served another
purpose and that was to scare away evil
spirits and greedy ghosts. In some Irish
traditions, the jack-o’-lantern
also helped departed ancestors to find
their way to their families on this
night of nights, and back to the realms
of Shadow before the dawn of November
1st and All Saint’s Day.
If
you don't like to send your kids out for trick
or treating a good substitute is a home Halloween
party.
Adult Halloween parties
can be very fun! Hold a costume contest, have
a theme party, the possibilities are endless!
If you run short on ideas,
there are many Halloween party idea books
available at your local book or craft store.
Plan some games in advance
to keep your child's Halloween party running
smoothly. Kids have short attention spans
sometimes, you want to keep it exciting!
Make it spooky with mood
music! You can find all kinds of Halloween
music and sound effects CDs for kids and adults.
Make your table setting
a spooky one using fake spider web, mini pumpkins,
and other Halloween items.
HALLOWEEN
SAFETY TIPS FOR PETS
Leaving your pets outside on Halloween
is not a god idea. There are plenty
of tales of malicious people who
tease, injure, steal, torture, even
killed peoples pets on Halloween.
Not to mention that dogs and cats
can scare easily with all the trick-or-treaters
coming to your house. Here are some
tips to keep your pets happy on
Halloween.
As much as your dog
or cat may beg for some of your
Halloween candy, always remember
that chocolate is deadly to them
in any amount.
If you work in a pet store, remember
that this is the time of year that
can be deadly for black cats. Some
sick people who play at being what
they'll call a Satanist will buy
them to "sacrifice" If
you can, don't take any black cats
or sell them during October.
The wrappers, such as tin foil,
can get stuck in your pets digestive
tract and make them ill or cause
death. There are plenty of recipes
for making home made dog and cat
treats, you can always make them
on a Halloween note.
Dogs can have lethal tails, wagging
all over the place. Don't leave
any lighted candles or Jack-O-Lanterns
where they could be knocked over
by a swinging tail or by a curious
cat. Not only could your pet start
a fire but they could severely burn
themselves in the process.
If you are going to dress your pet
in a costume, keep in mind that
unless the dog or cat is extremely
receptive to this kind of thing,
you could be causing it discomfort
and stress. Some animals don't mind
at all but others do not want to
be bothered with this kind of thing.
They'll be under enough stress with
the festivities going on outside
and people at the door constantly
so don't cause them any more nervousness
then you have to. You may love to
dress in costume but then, you aren't
a dog or a cat. Look for pet costumes
at Spirit Halloween.
If you put a mask of some type on
your animal, make sure that the
eye holes are big enough for them
to see peripherally. Animals depend
on their vision to let them know
what's going on and even the nicest
dog can get snippy if he can't see
what's around him. In fact, masks
really aren't a good idea.
If you are having a indoor party,
make sure that you put your dog
or cat in a room where they won't
be disturbed. Unless your pet is
ultra friendly and doesn't mind
loud noises, music and lots of people
you should keep them separate for
the night. Also, be careful your
cat or dog doesn't dart out through
the open door as you hand out candy.
Best bet is to just put them in
a room with some food and water
for the night and check on them
once in a while to let them know
everything is fine.
Remember, your pets
can't tell you what's wrong and
what bothers them. They are more
easily frightened since they have
no idea what's going on. Be sympathetic
and treat them like you'd want to
be treated if you were them!
Just because you think
a certain Halloween costume for
pets is cute doesn't mean that they
will enjoy wearing them! Try it
on them in advance and see how they
react.
Getting Halloween
treats for your visitors and kids?
Don't forget to pick up a box of
dog or cat treats for them as well!
If you own a cat and
let it go outside, remember that
this a bad time of year for cats.
Vicious people tend to find Halloween
an excuse to hurt or kill them.
Keep them inside for a while. They
are safer inside on a daily basis
anyway.
Having an adult party?
Remember, dogs, cats, birds and
other animals do not like being
intoxicated. Some at the party may
think it's funny to get an animal
drunk but it can kill them. It's
better to hurt someone's feelings
by telling them to leave the party
than to deal with a seriously ill
pet.
HALLOWEEN
SAFETY TIPS FOR YOUR HAUNTED FRONT YARD
Haunted houses get really
scary, and accidents do happen! This is haunted
house season, and anyone who has been to one
lately knows they're not what they used to
be. A fake bat or cob webs hanging on your
front door just doesn't cut it anymore.
.
Are you building a home haunted house? We've
supplied links to different web sites at the
end of this article that will help you have
a happy and safe Halloween.
Homeowners
Make sure your yard is clear of such things
as ladders, hoses, dog leashes and flower
pots that can trip the young ones.
Pets get frightened on Halloween. Put them
up to protect them from cars or inadvertently
biting a trick-or-treater.
Battery powered jack o'lantern candles are
preferable to a real flame.
If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well
away from where trick-or-treaters will be
walking or standing.
Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations
won't be blown into a flaming candle.
Healthy food alternatives for trick-or-treaters
include packages of low-fat crackers with
cheese or peanut butter filling, single-serve
boxes of cereal, packaged fruit rolls, mini
boxes of raisins and single-serve packets
of low-fat popcorn that can be micro waved
later.
Non-food treats: plastic rings, pencils, stickers,
erasers, coins.
PRIVATE
HOME HALLOWEEN HAUNTED HOUSE SAFETY TIPS
The following guidelines have been developed
to assist homeowners who plan to have haunted
houses during the Halloween Season. If you
have any questions, please contact your insurance
company before opening your home or yard to
guest. When addressing the issue of safety,
enough cannot be said about the importance
of this topic. Accidents can and may happen;
however, you can do much to decrease the odds
of such occurrences.
Haunted
House Legal & Safety Considerations
Have you ever considered the legal aspects
of haunting? This may consist of special event
permits, liability insurance, temporary building
permits, local sales tax forms, employee liability
and work wage contracts, fire and safety inspection,
and a temporary business license. Each city,
state or town is different Check with city
and local officials and find out the restrictions
and codes you must follow and or permits.
Exits need to be clearly
marked and all existing emergency procedures
followed.
Tour guides should be inside the haunted house,
positioned near exits to assist people in
the event of an emergency.
Lighting may be dimmed, but not completely
turned off. Also placing any items between
the light bulb and the light casing is prohibited.
The haunted house cannot contain any open
flames including candles. Smoking is also
prohibited. Know where the nearest fire extinguisher
is located. Do not cover or block the fire
extinguisher.
The path through the haunted house must be
free from obstructions, and at a minimum have
"running lights" to mark the path.
The use of dried leaves or corn stalks is
limited to outside of the haunted house and
must be treated with a flame retardant.
Plastic flammable wall dividers should not
be used.
It is preferred to have a tour guide escort
people through the haunted house.
Extension cords or other cords must be fastened
to the ground. The extension cords must have
ground plugs and no cracked or frayed cords
may be used.
Do not permit occupants in the stage areas
to jump out/up to surprise people going through
the haunted house.
Provide pre-training to all individuals working
in the haunted house; include what to do in
an emergency. At least one person on staff
must have a First Aid and CPR certification
from the American Red Cross or similar organization.
Provide information to individuals going through
the haunted house; including instructions
not to run, etc.
You are responsible for all clean up and any
damage to your own property.
Please keep safety in mind to ensure that
everyone has a safe Halloween.
Plan
Ahead for a Safe & Secure Event
Managing any event that is attended by many
people at one time, can be a nightmare, unless
you plan ahead. Safety and security are of
paramount importance for handling the large
crowds that will attend your event this year,
and a written plan of action for each and
every possible contingency will decrease the
time it takes to respond to a problem.
Haunted
Houses & the Fire Marshall
The amount of time and effort that goes into
the design, fabrication, set-up and operation
of these attractions is astounding. However,
as a Fire Marshal, my primary concern is Life
Safety, and when this is overlooked, all that
time and effort is wasted on a closed attraction,
or worse, injuries from an unsafe one. The
goal for all of us should be that no one gets
hurt.
Haunted
Hayride Safety
Safety at a Haunted Hayride site is of extreme
importance to all concerned, and therefore
demands the attention of every staff member,
from the parking lot attendant to the maintenance
crew. From the moment a patron drives onto
the property.
Everyone loves a good yard
haunt for Halloween! For those creating the
haunt, be it a simple yard haunt or a home
walk-thru, the planning and creating is the
most fun!
Draw out a "floor plan"
of what you want to do before hand, to make
sure you have the room for what you want to
do.
Decide how much you want
to spend on putting it together, some props
can be expensive but well worth it as far
as scare value.
Get family involved in helping
to put it together and start a tradition that
will carry over to your kids.
Plan ahead. Hit all the
after Halloween sales to pick up what you
need for the next year and get it at a fraction
of the price!
Get a head start on the
next year and build your props early. By starting
early, you can take your time and not be rushed
in October.
When planning a yard haunt there are some
things that you want to keep in mind for safety
reasons. You want to make your haunt scary,
possibly bloody and gory but when it comes
to your visitors, you don't want the blood
to end up being real. Here are some ideas
that might help you make it safer.
The number one item is to get extra home owners
insurance for the nights that you will be
allowing people to view your haunt. Nothing
can spoil the fun more than a law suit because
someone tripped and fell down. Most insurance
companies can help you with the problem of
extra insurance for the time needed, even
if it's for a night. the expense of a nights
insurance will far out-weigh what it could
end up costing you with out it!
When building your haunt, make sure that the
walk ways are far enough away from things
so that people can't trip over them or hurt
themselves. This also is good for you, this
means that your visitors won't be able to
ruin your props and sets. Some people just
have to vandalize at this time of year and
ruin it for others.
If you have a lot of Jack-O-Lanterns, you
might want to try a battery powered light
source or light sticks to light them instead
of candles. This cuts down on the fire hazards,
such as catching costumes or props on fire.
Use something like batter powered pumpkin
lights like the ones found at many outlet
stores.
If you do use real candles, make sure there
is no chance of anything blowing into the
flames, no cloth, crepe paper streamers or
anything that could start a fire.
If you are using fake blood, make sure that
it won't be coming in contact with anything
stainable like visitors, pets and children.
Not only is fake blood sticky but it can stain
like crazy!
If you have a particularly gruesome haunt
set up, make sure you have warning signs up
so that those with a weak stomach can be forewarned.
If your haunt is going to be publicized, make
sure that you get some volunteers to help
with crowd control and public safety. Off
duty police and fireman are often willing
to help out.
THE
SEASON OF THE WITCH, HALLOWEEN WITCH, BLACK
CAT, TRICK OR TREAT PUMPKIN, AND WITCHES FAMILAR
DESK TOP FREE WALLPAPER BY RICARDO PUSTANIO
FROM HAUNTED AMERICA TOURS.
IMAGE SIZE 1024 X 768 AND 800 X 600
Click
a thumbnail to view wallpaper, then right-click
wallpaper to download
800
X 600
1024
X 768
Click
a thumbnail to view free Halloween wallpaper,
then right-click wallpaper to download
HALLOWEEN
SAFETY 
