Town of Cedar Point issued the following announcement on Oct. 24.
With Halloween just around the corner, the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office urges everyone to be vigilant about staying safe during the holiday.
“With the excitement of Halloween taking over, it can sometimes be easy to forget even the most basic safety procedures,” said Sheriff Asa Buck. “Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment and following some commonsense practices can keep events safer and more fun.”
The sheriff reminds all Carteret County residents to follow these tips for a safe Halloween:
Motorists:
*Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.
*Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
*Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
*At twilight and later in the evening, watch for children in dark
clothing.
Parents:
*While on the prowl for treats, make sure an adult or an older
responsible youth will be supervising children under 12.
*Check the sex offender registry at www.NCSBI.gov when planning
your child’s trick-or-treat route. You can view maps that pinpoint
registered offenders’ addresses in your neighborhood and sign up
to get email alerts when an offender moves nearby.
*Plan and discuss the route trick-or-treaters intend to follow. Know
the names of older children's companions.
*Make sure older kids trick-or-treat in a group.
*Instruct your children to travel only in familiar areas and along an
established route.
*Teach your children to stop only at houses or apartment buildings
that are well-lit and never to enter a stranger's home.
*Establish a return time.
*Tell your youngsters not to eat any treats until they return home.
*Review all appropriate trick-or-treat safety precautions, including
pedestrian and traffic safety rules.
*All children need to know their home telephone number and how
to call 9-1-1 in case of emergency.
*Pin a slip of paper with the child's name, address, and telephone
number inside a pocket in case the youngster gets separated from
the group.
Technology Tips:
*Make sure any older children who are trick-or-treating alone have
a fully charged cellphone to carry with them.
*Be sure to check your children’s cellphones and turn tracking
features off on cellphone mobile applications not solely accessed
by parents so strangers will not be able to access your children’s
location.
*Parents of children who have cell phones may consider having
children turn on a mobile tracking application such as Find My
Friends or Life360 that allow only individuals selected by parents
to safely track their whereabouts.
*Parents of children who do not have a cell phone may consider
allowing children to wear or carry a Bluetooth tracking device with
controlled access to your child’s location.
*Remind your children not to wear headphones or earbuds so they
can hear cars approaching on the road.
*Know when witches and superheroes are outside your front door
by using a motion-activated doorbell or mounted cameras like
Ring or Nest to notify you of their presence.
*Also consider using motion sensor lighting around your home to
keep trick-or- treaters safe and help alert you when ghosts and
goblins are approaching.
Costume Design:
*Only fire-retardant materials should be used for costumes.
*Costumes should be loose so warm clothes can be worn
underneath.
*Costumes should not be so long that they are a tripping hazard.
*Make sure that shoes fit well to prevent trips and falls.
*Be safe and be seen. If children are allowed out after dark, outfits
should be made with light colored materials. Strips of retro-
reflective tape should be used to make children visible.
Face Design:
*Do not use masks as they can obstruct a child's vision. Use facial
make-up instead.
*When buying special Halloween makeup, check for packages
containing ingredients that are labeled "Made with U.S. Approved
Color Additives," "Laboratory Tested," "Meets Federal Standards for
Cosmetics," or "Non-Toxic." Follow manufacturer's instruction for
application.
*If masks are worn, they should have nose and mouth openings
and large eye holes.
Accessories:
*If your child dresses up as a pirate, ninja or in any other costume
that includes accessories like knives and sword, be sure accessories
are made from cardboard or flexible materials. Do not allow
children to carry sharp objects.
*Bags or sacks carried by youngsters should be light-colored or
trimmed with retro-reflective tape if children are allowed out after
dark.
*Carrying flashlights with fresh batteries will help children see
better and be seen more clearly.
*If children are carrying cell phones, remind them of the flashlight
feature available on most smart phones.
While Trick-or-Treating:
*Do not enter homes or apartments without adult supervision.
*While everyone is excited for candy, make sure children walk
instead of run from house to house. Do not cross yards and lawns
where unseen objects or the uneven terrain can present tripping
hazards.
*Walk on sidewalks, not in the street.
*Walk on the left side of the road, facing traffic, if there are no
sidewalks.
Treats:
*Give children an early meal before going out.
*Insist that treats be brought home for inspection before anything
is eaten.
*Wash fruit and slice it into small pieces.
*Throw away any candy that is unwrapped or partially wrapped or
has a strange odor, color, or texture.
Homeowners/Decorations:
*Keep candles and jack o' lanterns away from landings and
doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame.
*Remove obstacles from lawns, steps, and porches when expecting
trick-or-treaters.
*Keep candles and jack o' lanterns away from curtains, decorations,
and other combustibles that could catch fire.
*Don’t let ghosts and spirits in by leaving your home unattended.
Original source can be found here.
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