LCPD: Plan for a safe Halloween

Monday, October 27, 2014 - 12:17pm

The Las Cruces police and fire departments remind parents, and trick-or-treaters of all ages, to take the necessary steps that will make Halloween safe for everyone involved.

Maybe the most important safety precaution especially for parents of young children is to make sure their trick-or-treaters are adequately chaperoned by a parent or responsible adult.

And residents who invite trick-or-treaters onto their property should ensure that sidewalks and walkways are adequately lighted and safe for their guests.

Some additional safety tips include:

Go trick-or-treating with your child and, if possible, in a group. Make sure that costumes are visible to motorists and homeowners. Use a flashlight while trick-or-treating after dark and attach glow sticks (available for free at any Las Cruces Fire Department) to costumes. Assure that costumes fit appropriately and do not interfere with walking or vision. Make sure costumes or decorations do not come in contact with open flames, such as candles in jack-o-lanterns. Trick-or-treaters should keep to sidewalks and proper walkways. When crossing streets, do so only in designated crosswalks and only after checking for traffic. Motorists should be on the lookout for more pedestrians, especially small children and primarily on residential streets. Thoroughly inspect all candy and moderate the amount your child may consume. Call police immediately to report any inappropriate behavior, potentially dangerous situations or suspicious activity.

Trick-or-treaters also should be conscious to the fact that not all homeowners celebrate Halloween, or enjoy ghosts and goblins knocking on their doors. The basic rules of thumb are to refrain from trick-or-treating at homes with no Halloween displays or without adequate lighting, and keep your activities limited to respectable hours.

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LCPD: Plan for a safe Halloween