As Halloween approaches, kids and adults of all ages will be out trick-or-treating, touring haunted houses, attending parties, carving pumpkins, going on hayrides or watching scary movies. Billions of dollars will be spent on costumes, decorations, candy and related items.

While your ghouls and goblins enjoy the Halloween fun, safety should always come first. As you prepare for the holiday, review these safety tips:

• Costumes should be fire-resistant and masks or hats should not impair a child’s vision. Shoes must be secure to avoid stumbles and falls. Use nontoxic makeup and remove sharp objects from costumes.
• Be particularly alert between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. during the busiest hours of trick-or-treating. Plan a safe, well-lit route and have an emergency plan. At night, use reflective tape, glow sticks and flashlights. Walk in groups and stay vigilant.
• Keep off lawns and stay on sidewalks and paths. Use crosswalks and street corners instead of crossing a road from between parked cars.
• Drive slowly, watch for children in dark clothing, and cars backing up and turning.
• To avoid distractions, do not allow children to eat candy while trick-or-treating. Candy should be inspected and distributed after the event.
• Minimize cell phone usage and distractions from other electronic devices. Demonstrate to children how to make a 911 emergency call and discuss the danger of talking to strangers.
• Avoid pumpkin-carving injuries by using carving kits. Adults should use dull blades in a well-lit area, keep hands dry and have a first-aid kit available.
• To prevent shock from electrical decorations, outdoor circuits should have ground fault circuit-interrupters. Properly secure any electrical cords along the path to your doorway. Do not fray or cut electrical cords when decorating. Turn off Halloween decorations at bedtime.

Call Alabama Power about street light outages and other electric safety hazards at 1-800-245-2244.

In addition to getting the COVID-19 vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provide guidelines for safely celebrating Halloween and other holidays.

(Information from the nationalsafetycouncil.org, healthychildren.org, safekids.org and Bone & Joint were used in this report.)