City asks Darlington to celebrate Halloween safely
In just two weeks, trick-or-treaters will be ringing doorbells for Halloween. The City of Darlington encourages individuals, parents and children to stay safe during these celebrations.
As you plan your children’s costumes, consider visibility and comfort as much as design. Decorate or trim costumes with reflective tape that will glow in the beam of a car’s headlights. Bags and sacks should also be light colored or decorated with reflective tape. Children should carry flashlights too. Costumes should be short enough to prevent children from tripping and falling, and any hats or scarves should be tied securely to prevent them from slipping over the child’s eyes. Choose well-fitting, sturdy shoes for children as well.
For your home decorations, remove obstacles from steps or porches. Keep candle-lit jack-o-lanterns away from landings and doorsteps where costumes could brush against the flame. Inside, keep candles and jack-o-lanterns away from curtains and other furnishings that could be ignited.
On Halloween night, adults should accompany children from door to door of known residents or those who have outside lights on as a sign of welcome. Children should walk, not run, between houses in groups and use the sidewalk whenever available. Look both ways before crossing the street and use established crosswalks whenever possible.
When the trick-or-treaters get home, parents should examine all the goodies before anyone consumes them, looking for choking hazards or evidence of tampering.
If you plan to drive that night to parties or other events, slow down and look for children who may dart from between parked cars or across the street unaware of your vehicle.
The Darlington City Police, Fire, and Recreation Departments will be passing out treats from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31, in front of the Police Department, 400 Pearl St.
Trick-or-treat in the City of Darlington is set for 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Additionally, businesses are invited to participate in a citywide celebration of Halloween as the Darlington Downtown Revitalization Association holds its annual Halloween Costume Contest on Thursday, Oct. 31. Awards will be given for best business participation, most original costume, and cutest costume. To be included in the judging, call 395-2310 by Wednesday, Oct. 30.
Find more Halloween safety tips at http://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/halloween_tips.pdf.