Tips for a fun & safe Halloween–

Trick-or-Treating tips, Adapted from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children 

• Children should be accompanied by a parent or trusted adult and walked to the door by the parent to receive treats. Children should NEVER enter a home without a parent’s permission.

• Make sure older children take friends and stay together.

• Know the neighborhood in which you plan to trick or treat. Pick houses that you feel comfortable letting your child visit. Do not visit homes that are isolated or poorly lit.

• Be sure children do not approach any vehicle, occupied or not, and make sure they get away quickly if someone gets out of a vehicle and attempts to approach them.

• Make sure your child is able to see and move easily in their costume. Consider having your child carry a flashlight or glow sticks so that they can see more easily and be seen. Try adding reflective tape to costumes and candy containers.

• In case you become separated, make sure your child knows your cell phone number and home address. 

• Consider organizing a home or community party as an alternative to “trick-or-treating.”

• Teach your child to say “NO!” or “this is not my mother/father” in a loud voice if someone tries to get him or her to go somewhere. Teach your child to kick, scream and resist if someone tries to get him or her to leave. Your child’s safety is more important than being polite!

• Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before allowing children to eat them.  

Driving tips

• Remind your teen and adult drivers to be vigilant while behind the wheel. 

• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.

• Take extra time to look for children at intersections, on medians and on curbs.

• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.

• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.

• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., so be especially alert for children during those hours.

Protect your property

• Halloween is an ideal time for vandals and burglars to attack! For a burglar or vandal, it is easy to spot who is and isn’t home, and with all the activity outside, a thief can blend in. If you have an alarm system, use it even if you are home.  Having your alarm sign near your front door will show that you have taken extra measures to secure your property.

• Don’t post your Halloween plans on Facebook or twitter. You might be advertising that you’re not home or invite guests who were not invited.

• Even when you're handing out candy, make sure your  windows and unmanned door are locked.

• Utilizing motion sensor lights can discourage many pranksters and burglars from choosing your home. Proper lighting not only deters burglars, it also can prevent falls, making your home safer for everyone. 

• If you are away from home you can check on your family and secure your home with a push of a button. Our Erkios technology for your smartphone will work in concert – your security system will recognize you and the garage door will open or close, entryways will light up or turn off, and the front door will lock or unlock.

Don’t forget your pets!

• Keep candy out of reach of your pets. A pet won’t stop at one or two treats, which may end up causing an expensive vet bill, or even the death of your beloved pet. 

• Keep your pet in a quiet space for their safety, as well as for the safety of trick or treaters. 

• Watch your pets near your decorations and pumpkins. Flameless candles are always a great idea to keep pets safe.