Safe Kids Weekend

Fly Creek, NY- Halloween is supposed to be a spooky night, but parents don’t have to be scared about their kids’ safety if they follow some simple safety tips from Safe Kids of Otsego County. It’s essential for parents to prepare their children properly to stay safe while trick-or-treating. Over a recent five-year period, on average, twice as many child pedestrians have been killed on Halloween as have been killed on average throughout the rest of the year.

 

To promote Halloween safety the Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard will host Safe Kids of Otsego County on Saturday and Sunday, October 22 & 23 from 10:00 until 4:00 to provide safety tips, reflective zipper pulls and stickers to Mill visitors. The excitement of the holiday can make everyone less cautious. "Parents need to remind kids about safety while walking before they go out trick-or-treating," says Rich McCaffery, a Community Educator with Bassett Healthcare Network and Safe Kids of Otsego County. "Children should bring flashlights or glow sticks with them, carry reflective bags, or have reflective tape or stickers on their costumes, so as to increase their visibility to drivers. Children should not wear masks that may inhibit their ability to see hazards. Ensuring kids are seen this Halloween is essential to keep this holiday fun for everyone.”

  

Safe Kids recommends that children under age 10 do not trick-or-treat without adult supervision. If kids are mature enough to go trick-or-treating without supervision, make sure they go in a group and stick to a predetermined route with good lighting.

 

Although pedestrian safety is the main concern on Halloween, parents also need to keep in mind that there are other hazards for their children on this holiday. Parents must check treats for choking hazards or signs of tampering before children are allowed to eat them. Safe Kids of Otsego County suggests that parents look for non-flammable costumes and non-toxic designations in Halloween makeup, and make sure their children wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes to prevent trips and falls. Finally, children should only go to homes where the residents are known and where outside lights are on as a sign of welcome.

 

For more tips on how to keep kids safe while walking on Halloween and throughout the year contact Rich McCaffery at 607-547-5256. Safe Kids of OtsegoCounty works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children 14 and under. Safe Kids is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids of OtsegoCounty was founded in 2000 and is led by Bassett Healthcare Network