The Newberg Graphic Online

Police give party tips for safe Halloween revelling

Public safety — Newberg-Dundee police offer some advice for kids, parents this Halloween

• Published: 10/27/2009 4:44:36 PM

    It’s dark out and your kids are running around the neighborhood — but that’s no reason to panic. It’s Halloween again, and the Newberg-Dundee police are offering safety tips for local parents.
    Since Halloween is on a Saturday this year, parents must be especially careful due to added weekend traffic on the roadways. Many drivers on weekend trips or traveling to other activities will be concerned about their business and not watching for trick-or-treaters along the neighborhood streets.
    For safety, trick-or-treaters should wear reflective clothing and carry glow sticks or flashlights after dark.
As always, trick-or-treaters should go in groups – older children with friends, younger children with a trusted adult – and stay in familiar neighborhoods, avoiding suspicious homes.
    Adults should accompany young children to the door of every home and be visible to the occupants when the children are at the door. Children must not enter a home or approach a vehicle without permission from a parent or guardian.
    Costumes should be trimmed and styled to allow safe walking or running and allow good visibility and ventilation. If the costume includes a mask, you or your children should be able to breathe and see properly and without restriction (or use face paint instead).
    Report suspicious or raucous behavior, such as bullying, thefts or vandalism, to the police. Parents should review the way to deal with bullying or hazing and remind their children how to respond to a potential abduction: yelling loudly that the person is not a parent or guardian and “Help!” is a good first step.
    According to the National Clearing House for Missing and Exploited Children, every effort should be made by the child to get away from an abductor or bullying attack. Kicking, screaming, resisting and making as much of a scene to alert others of danger is still the preferred behavior for children.
When it comes to Halloween decorations, many of the same safety rules apply as for Christmas lights: be careful to avoid overloading electrical circuits and keep all electrical components in good repair. Homeowners should take in their carved jack o’ lanterns and other decorations at bedtime to avoid theft and vandalism. A common problem homeowners report to police is their yard displays have been destroyed and scattered about the neighborhood by overnight visitors.
    Regarding fire safety, homeowners should use small flashlights instead of candles or other open flame to illuminate displays, including carved pumpkins.
    Halloween can also be a stressful time for pets, and owners are advised to keep them indoors. Dog owners may also want to keep their pet in its crate, the garage or another secured area, as it is a natural instinct for dogs to protect the family from strangers, and on Halloween there will be plenty of strangers. Even a friendly dog will be anxious to investigate each of the trick-or-treaters who ring the doorbell.
    Keep candy away from your dog, as many types — especially those containing chocolate or artificial sweetener — can be toxic to dogs. Problems can range from a mild upset stomach to vomiting and diarrhea, or even death.
    Let pets get used to seeing their owners in costumes, by sniffing them before you put them on and keeping masks off while they are around. Think twice about dressing your pets in their own costumes — while some enjoy being dressed up, many don’t. If taking your dog on trick-or-treating rounds, make sure it has proper ID tags and is leashed.

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