Gwinnett County-Halloween Information

Halloween is coming up, and the Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services wants to remind you to be safe. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you have fun on Halloween night.

At home, only use decorations that are tested by an independent laboratory and never overload electrical outlets with holiday lighting or special effects. To ensure fire safety, keep paper and dry decorations such as leaves, cornstalks, and hay bales away from open flames or any other heat source. Using flashlights in jack-o-lanterns instead of candles will help prevent fire hazards.
Avoid using decorative candles at Halloween festivities and parties, especially around pets and small children. Help your neighbors and family stay safe by eliminate tripping hazards on your porch or walkway to the front door; light the path for a safe entry and exit for children.
Keep kids safe by making sure costumes fit properly. Baggy sleeves or billowing capes pose a tripping hazard as well as a fire hazard. Use soft or flexible props for costumes and avoid those that have sharp points or jagged edges. If kids are carrying toy weapons as part of their costumes, make sure they do not look authentic; use only soft or plastic toy replicas to prevent injury.
Make a flashlight or glow stick part of the costume. You can make your trick-or-treater more visible to motorists by adding reflective tape to costumes and candy bags. Finally, choose costumes that are brightly colored and made of flame-resistant materials. Look for a fire-retardant label on any store-bought costume. Click here to see a special Halloween safety message from Safe Kids Gwinnett, Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services, and the Gwinnett County Police Department.