Police officers and firefighters in Chatham-Kent are offering some last-minute safety tips for anyone celebrating Hallowe'en Tuesday night.
Chatham-Kent police Sergeant Lynette Rosina said one of the most important things to highlight from a safety standpoint is making sure you are highly visible if you will be walking around in the dark.
"Wear bright costumes or reflective tape, carry a flashlight or a glowstick -- anything like that to help you be seen," said Rosina. "Always stay on the sidewalk and make sure that if you are crossing the street, you obey all of the laws."
Rosina said it's also recommended that you travel in groups or with a trusted adult as an extra safety measure.
She is also reminding drivers to be extra aware of their surroundings and to keep their eyes peeled for pedestrians.
Sgt. Rosina is also recommending that parents check their kids' candy before they let their kids eat it, just to be safe.
"Have fun, but be safe as you do so," said Sgt. Rosina.
When it comes to fire safety, Chatham-Kent Fire Public Educator Whitney Burke said the best way to keep yourself and your family safe is to make sure you have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
"The most terrifying thing for us [this Halloween] is knowing that people may not have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their home," said Burke, adding that you can get your alarms checked for free by contacting the CK fire department and asking them about getting a CHiRP Home Alarm Check.
Burke also noted that their number one safety tip for decorations is to make sure you are not using any real flames.
"There's absolutely no need for real flames anymore," said Burke. "There are such great flameless candles on the market -- use those, or use glowsticks -- anything but actual fire."
Burke said if you do use open flames for your decorations, though, you should keep them away from anything that is combustible and make sure little trick-or-treaters don't have long, flowing costumes anywhere near the flames.
