With Halloween fast approaching, Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) and Warwickshire Trading Standards are urging the public to avoid safety scares over the coming weeks.
Halloween can be a fun and exciting time for many. However, it can also very scary and not always for the right reasons - burns and accidental house fires can easily occur and road safety accidents can increase as children are easily distracted by the excitement of the event. So, if you’re out with your little ghosts and ghouls this Halloween, please help to keep them both fire and road safe.
If you are dressing your kids up, keep them away from any candles and lanterns, and swap candles for safer battery operated lights. If you’re expecting trick or treaters again use battery operated lights in any pumpkins to help keep children safe. If you are dressing up, then make sure costumes have been purchased from a reputable retailer, check for a CE mark on the label and ensure it fits properly, to prevent slips, trips and falls.
If you’re lighting candles in the home, then please don’t leave them unattended and kept them away from flammable materials including clothing and curtains. When heading off to bed or out to trick or treat, then make sure that your candles are extinguished properly to ensure that you don’t come back home to a real horror story.
Talking about staying safe, Warwickshire County Councillor Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Fire said:
“We want everyone to enjoy Halloween, but there are potential dangers which could lurk in the dark and the best way to stay safe is to be prepared. So don’t leave candles unattended and ensure that they are fully extinguished before leaving the house. In the event something happens and your costume catches fire, then stop, drop and roll and cool any burns with large amounts of water and get urgent medical assistance.
“Following our safety advice could make the difference between a Halloween that’s scary for all the wrong reasons, or a happy, fun-filled one. So please don’t take the risk!”
For more fire safety tips, visit: https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/firesafety.