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Here's to a safe Halloween

North Bay Fire & Emergency Services News Release ******************** North Bay Fire and Emergency Services is encouraging everyone to take a few minutes to focus on safety when considering costumes, decorating, and trick-or-treating this year.
North Bay Fire & Emergency Services
News Release

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North Bay Fire and Emergency Services is encouraging everyone to take a few minutes to focus on safety when considering costumes, decorating, and trick-or-treating this year.

“People often use candles when decorating their home for Halloween. Whenever real candles are used, there is an increased risk of fire," said Public Education/Fire Prevention Officer Sheri Korn. "Battery operated candles and flashing lights are the safest. If you must use candles, keep them safely out of reach of children and pets and away from anything that can burn. Candles should never be left unattended.”

Keep family and friends safe by ensuring that costumes are bright and reflective and accompany children when they go trick-or-treating. Make sure everyone knows the emergency number.

“It is also a great time to check your smoke alarms to make sure they work. Only working smoke alarms can detect fire in its early stages,“ explained Korn. “Talk to everyone in your home about what to do when the smoke alarms sounds.

There are many safety risks associated with Halloween. To ensure that everyone has a fire-safe Halloween, the fire service has developed a Halloween Safety Tips sheet that provides important safety information for children, adults and the entire family. The safety tips sheet can be downloaded from our website at www.cityofnorthbay.ca.

Top Fire Safety Tips for Halloween Night

• Keep costumes short to avoid tripping and falling. Minimize the risk of contact with candles or other ignition sources by avoiding baggy pants, loose frills or billowing skirts.

• Make sure that children know how to call 9-1-1 or their local emergency number if they experience an emergency.

• Teach children to STOP, DROP and ROLL should their clothing catch fire: STOP immediately, DROP to the ground and cover face with hands and ROLL over and over to extinguish the flames.

• Consider using only battery-powered lights or chemical light sticks in decorations.

• Small battery-powered lights are the safest for use in jack-o'-lanterns. If you use a candle, try a tea light or votive candle in a non-combustible holder.

• Always keep candles, matches and lighters out of the reach of children.

• Place candlelit jack-o'-lanterns on sturdy surfaces, away from anything that can burn, such as curtains and Halloween costumes.

• Keep decorations such as cornstalks and bales of hay away from candlelit jack-o'-lanterns.

• Ensure that electrical outlets are not overloaded with holiday lighting or special effects.

• Check that the batteries in your smoke alarms work.

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