Official Site of the Government of Stevens Point, Wisconsin
Fire Department
Trick or Treat Safety Tips
Planning ahead can help make this Halloween fire-safe.
Taking simple fire safety precautions can prevent fires. Please remember these Halloween safety tips as children
head out to go Trick or Treating on Friday,
October 31, 2008 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m.:
1. Purchase only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant
or flame-retardant. When creating a costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes in contact with
heat or flame. Avoid billowing or long trailing features.
2. Make certain customs do not obstruct vision.
3. Provide children with lightweight flashlights to carry for lighting or as part of their costume.
4. Dried flowers, cornstalks, and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away
from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, heaters, etc.
5. Use the proper grade of the proper fuel for your liquid-fueled space heater, and never use gasoline in any heater
not approved for gasoline use. Refuel only in a well-ventilated area and when the equipment is cool.
6. Use flashlights or battery-operated candles when illuminating Jack-o-lanterns. Use extreme caution when decorating
with candle lit Jack-O-Lanterns, and supervise children at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles
inside Jack-O-Lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches and be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything
that can burn including doorsteps, walkways, and yards.
7. Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, ensuring nothing blocks escape routes.
8. 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.
9. Instruct children to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Be sure children know how to stop, drop,
and roll in the event their clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground, covering your face with
your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames.) Cool the burn.
10. Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, that the venting is kept clear and unobstructed,
and that the exit point is properly sealed around the vent, all of which is to make sure deadly carbon monoxide
does not build up in the home.
11. Instruct children who are attending parties at others' homes to locate the exits and plan how they would get
out in an emergency.
The Stevens Point Fire Department hopes that everyone has a safe and happy Halloween!