City reminds residents to play safe this Halloween

As Halloween approaches, the City of Saint John wants everyone who chooses to participate in trick-or-treating to have fun and stay safe. If you and your family will be going door-to-door trick-or-treating this year, make sure you follow the Province of New Brunswick’s Halloween guidelines, including new circuit breaker restrictions which are available here: Halloween guidance

For the health and safety of everyone in our community, we must all be vigilant and adhere to the requirements within the Mandatory Order and the guidelines of the Chief Medical Officer of Health.

Please remember that participation in Halloween activities is a personal choice. We ask those who wish to “trick-or-treat” to respect the personal choice of any household that does not wish to participate.

As children head out trick-or-treating on Sunday, we remind residents to be safe on the streets, and to watch out for potential fire hazards. We want everyone to have a fun and stay safe!

For trick-or-treaters:

• When crossing a street, use intersections with pedestrian signals or marked crosswalks where possible. Otherwise, cross at an intersection. Extend your hand

to signal your intention to cross and wait until approaching vehicles stop to let you cross as you can be hard to see at night or with a dark costume.

• Use sidewalks where available or walk as close to the edge of the road as possible on the left side where you can see approaching traffic.

• Wear costumes that let you see traffic clearly (i.e., avoid masks that obstruct your vision).

• Wear light colours or use reflective material and flashlights to make you more visible to motorists.

• Young children should be accompanied by an adult.

• Tell your parents what route you plan to take, and what time you’ll be back.

• Wait outside houses; don’t go inside unnecessarily.

• Never get in the vehicle of someone you don’t know.

• Make sure your parents check your candy before you eat them.

For motorists:

• Be extra cautious for pedestrians as many are children.

• It is your responsibility to yield to pedestrians crossing the street at marked crosswalks and at intersections.

Stay safe from fires:

• Buy only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame retardant. If you are making your own costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes into contact with heat or flame. Avoid using billowing or long trailing features.

• Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.

• It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candles in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside jack-o-lanterns, use long fireplace-style matches or a utility lighter. Be sure to place lit

pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.

• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.

• Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire. (Have them practice stopping immediately, dropping to the ground, covering their face with hands, and rolling over and over to put the flames out.)

• Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.

• Fire doesn’t wait – plan your escape! Fire and smoke spread so quickly; you may have only seconds to escape. Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it with the entire family.