Westchester County Department of Emergency Services

Westchester County offers these tips for a safe, but fun-filled, Halloween.

One way to keep children safe is to use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting. If your children are going to Halloween parties at others’ homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan how they would get out in an emergency.

The National Fire Prevention Association publishes fire prevention safety fliers each year that are available for downloading.

Decorations

• Keep candles and jack-o'-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame. Consider battery-powered lanterns or chemical lightsticks instead of candles.
• Remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
• Indoors, keep candles and jack-o'-lanterns away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could be ignited.
• Indoors or outside, use only lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.
• Don't overload extension cords.

Costumes

• Costumes, masks, beards and wigs should be of flame resistant fabrics such as nylon or polyester and look for the label "Flame Resistant."  Flame resistant fabrics will resist burning and should extinguish quickly.  To minimize the risk of contact with candles and other fire sources, avoid costumes made with flimsy materials and outfits with big, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.
• Costumes should be light, bright and clearly visible to motorists.
• For greater visibility during dusk and darkness, decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car's headlights.  Bags or sacks should be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. This tape is usually available in hardware, bicycle and sporting goods stores.
• If your child wears a mask, make sure it fits securely, provides adequate ventilation, and has eye holes large enough to allow full vision. Eye holes in face masks should be big enough for a child to see out of in all directions. 
• Try using face paint on your child instead of a mask.
• Children should carry flashlights to see and be seen.
• Costumes should be well-fitted and not drag on the ground to guard against trips and falls.
• Children should wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes. Oversized high heels are not a good idea.
• Tie hats and scarves securely to prevent them from slipping over eyes and obstructing vision.
• Think twice before using simulated knives, guns or swords. If such props must be used, be certain they do not appear authentic and that they are made of soft, flexible material. Swords, knives and similar costume accessories should be made of soft, flexible material.
• Avoid cheap costume toy jewelry, as it may include lead, particularly if it is made in China.

Trick-or-Treating

• Trick-or-treaters should stay within their own neighborhoods.
• Younger children should be accompanied by an adult.
• Openly discuss with children appropriate and inappropriate behavior at Halloween time.
• Children should carry change or cell phone to call home. Instruct them in the proper use of 911.
• Review the principle of “Stop-Drop-Roll,” should their clothes catch fire.
• Children should trick-or-treat only to houses with the outside lights on and to apartment buildings that are brightly lit.
• You should set a time for older children to return home.
• Children should not go inside the homes or apartments of strangers.

Treats

• Warn children not to eat treats before an adult has examined them for evidence of tampering.
• Carefully examine any toy or novelty items received by trick-or-treaters under three years of age. Do not allow young children to have any items that are small enough to present a choking hazard or that have small parts or components that could separate during use and present a choking hazard.
• The only candy or snacks that should be kept are those which have been commercially packaged and those which have not been opened in any way.
• Encourage your child to eat dinner before going out.

Decking the halls of your home for holidays can be fun, but be safe. Each year fires during the holiday season injure about 2,600 individuals and cause more $930 million in damage. No matter how busy you are, take a little extra time to make sure that your holiday decorations don’t become a household hazard.

Fireplaces

• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually by a certified chimney specialist.
• Leave glass doors open while burning a fire. Leaving the doors open ensures that the fire receives enough air to ensure complete combustion and keeps creosote from building up in the chimney.
• Close glass doors when the fire is out to keep air from the chimney opening from getting into the room. Most glass fireplace doors have a metal mesh screen which should be closed when the glass doors are open. This mesh screen helps keep embers from getting out of the fireplace area.
• Always use a metal mesh screen with fireplaces that do not have a glass fireplace door.
• Clear the area around the hearth of debris, decorations and flammable materials.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire - especially in a fireplace inside your home.
• Use only seasoned hardwood. Soft, moist wood accelerates creosote buildup in your chimney.
• Build small fires that burn completely and produce less smoke.
• Never burn cardboard boxes, trash or debris in your fireplace.
• When building a fire, place logs at the rear of the fireplace on an adequate supporting grate.
• Allow ashes to cool before disposing (i.e., soak hot ashes in water) and place them in a metal container to avoid any potential fire hazards and store them three feet away from any combustible materials.
• Never leave a fire in the fireplace unattended. Extinguish the fire before going to bed or leaving the house.

Christmas trees

• If you are using a metallic or artificial tree, make sure it is flame retardant.
• If you are buying a real Christmas tree, make sure it is freshly cut.You can tell if the tree is fresh if the needles on the trees are green and hard to pull back from the branches. The trunk will be sticky.
• Don’t put your live tree up too early or leave it up for longer than two weeks. Keep it watered at all times and don’t place it close to a heat vent or a fireplace. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks.

Holiday lights and decorations

• Maintain holiday lights. Inspect them each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
• Be careful not to overload electrical outlets. Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet. Make sure to periodically check the wires - they should not be warm to the touch. Do not leave holiday lights on unattended.
• Use only nonflammable decorations. All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents. Never put wrapping paper in a fireplace. It can throw off dangerous sparks and produce a chemical buildup in the home that could cause an explosion.

Candle care

• If you do use candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never put lit candles on a trees and never leave the house with candles burning.
• Finally, as in every season, have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home, test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times. Know when and how to call for help. And remember to practice your home escape plan.

All winter long, families should take simple steps to protect their homes and their families from the dangers of household hazards that can cause electrical and heating fires and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Fireplaces
Fireplaces that go unused for most of the year, get lots of use around the holidays and during winter as they provide a source of heat and a cozy atmosphere. Yet, they also provide a great source of danger if you don't know what preventive steps to take to keep your home and family safe.

Extension cords
Residents are encouraged to read the label on extension cord or make sure their electric heater is set up safely. It is simple actions like these that prevent home fires during the winter months.

During a typical year, home electrical problems account for 67,800 fires, 485 deaths, and $868 million in property losses across the country, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Electrical appliances
Some of these fires are caused by electrical system failures and appliance defects, but many more are caused by the misuse and poor maintenance of electrical appliances, incorrectly installed wiring, and overloaded circuits and extension cords. Fire deaths are highest in winter months which call for more indoor activities and increase in lighting, heating, and appliance use, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Carbon monoxide poisoning
The heating season also increases the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a clear, odorless and potentially fatal gas produced by home heating systems, hot water heaters, faulty chimneys, kerosene or fuel oil room heaters, gas stoves, fireplaces, charcoal grills and car exhaust. It can cause flu-like symptoms, vomiting, loss of consciousnss, brain damage and eventually death.

Our flyer "Is your family safe from fire?" suggests simple steps you can take to prevent electrical and heater fires and prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Installing smoke detectors an

The season for decorating, gift giving and lots of good cheer is here. By taking some simple precautions and using a bit of common sense, you can enjoy a safe and healthy holiday season.

• Food safety: From the buffet table to the office party, food moves center stage throughout the holiday season. Be sure to keep food safe by following basic food safety steps.
  
  
• Fire safety: Holiday trees, lights, decorations and candles account for hundreds of fires annually. Unfamiliarity with burning fires in a fireplace can also cause a potential safety threat. Have a safe and happy holiday by following a few simple fire safety tips.
  
  
• Personal safety: By using a little extra caution and following some personal safety tips, you can avoid becoming a victim of crime this holiday season.
  
  
• Online safety: Shopping online has become the fastest growing way to shop. And with all the different choices of credit cards out there, learn how to find the right one.
  
  
• Product safety: If you think you may have purchased an unsafe item, check the latest recall and product safety news from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.