Washington County Safety Officials Offer Tips for Halloween | News, sports, jobs

(Photo illustration/MetroCreative)

MARIETTA – Halloween is fast approaching and with the decorations and crowds of trick-or-treaters come safety concerns.

Marietta Police Capt. Aaron Nedeff offered some safety tips for trick-or-treaters.

Nedeff says it’s important for trick-or-treaters to travel in groups.

“It’s always better to travel together when you don’t have an adult (with you)” he said.

If a home is not well lit, trick-or-treaters should not stop for safety reasons and because the homeowners may not want to be inconvenienced, he said.

In 2021, numerous trick-or-treaters crowd the streets near City Park. (file photo)

Nedeff warned drivers to watch out for children, take extra time to get to their destination and move slowly through neighborhoods and residential areas.

He said it would be children “Packed with sugar and excitement” and will not look both ways before crossing the street.

Nedeff pointed out that it’s a good idea for parents to at least look at the candy, and if a piece looks tampered with or damaged, it’s better to throw it away just to be on the safe side.

He also said it was a good idea for parents to give their children a flashlight so they could be seen.

Jesse Lehman, a firefighter with the Devola Volunteer Fire Department and an advanced paramedic, agreed with Nedeff that visibility to trick-or-treaters is an important safety tip.

A jack-o-lantern smiles at children trick-or-treating in Belpre in 2022. (file photo)

“Make sure they have glow sticks, flashlights and something reflective.” so they can be seen, he said.

According to Lehman, there are things homeowners can do to ensure safety this Halloween.

He said homeowners should make sure all electrical Halloween decorations are grounded and waterproof so they don’t short out and cause a fire.

Lehman said Devola VFD sees a lot of medical calls on Halloween and the night people go trick-or-treating “Kind of a security nightmare.”

He suggested ways homeowners can improve the situation. He said things should be as lit as possible so people can see them and there are no tripping hazards or other safety issues.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire on Halloween is also a safety concern.

According to a media release from the association, an annual average of 835 house fires started with Halloween decorations between 2018 and 2022, and those fires resulted in three deaths, 30 injuries and $14 million in direct property damage.

The press release said nearly half of the fires were caused by decorations being too close to a heat source and about a third were started by candles.

The association suggests keeping flammable decorations such as corn stalks, crepe paper and dried flowers away from open flames or heat sources such as candles, radiators and light bulbs.

The release said if candles are used as Halloween decorations, they should be kept in well-trafficked areas so they don’t get in the way of potential trick-or-treaters. If used in a jack-o-lantern, they should be kept away from other decorations.

The release said glow sticks or electric candles are the safest choice for lighting jack-o-lanterns.

Costumes can also be a problem when fires occur, the release said. You should avoid costumes that bunch or trail, and if you make your own costumes, avoid highly flammable fabrics such as cotton or linen.

The press release also states that people should ensure their smoke detectors are working, that decorations should not be placed at exits and that escape routes such as windows or doors should not be blocked.

Michelle Dillon can be reached at mdillon@newsandsentinel.com