Wednesday, October 28, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Fire dept. offers Halloween safety tips
Children dressed in cos-
tumes excitedly running door
to door to trick-or-treat, fes-
tive decorations like glowing
jack-o-lanterns, paper ghosts
and dried cornstalks adorn-
ing front porches — these are
some of the classic hallmarks
of Halloween that make the
holiday special.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e s e
Halloween symbols and
activities can also present
lurking fire risks — but by
planning ahead, you can help
make this Halloween a fire-
safe one. Taking simple fire
safety precautions like keep-
ing decorations far away
from open flames and using
battery-operated candles or
glow-sticks in jack-o-lanterns
can help ensure your holiday
remains festive and fun.
The Sisters Camp-
Sherman Fire District wants
to ensure that you and your
children have a safe and
Happy Halloween. Consider
these tips from the National
Fire Protection Association:
• When choosing a cos-
tume, stay away from billow-
ing or long trailing fabric. If
you are making your own
costume, choose material that
won’t easily ignite if it comes
into contact with heat or
flame. If your child is wear-
ing a mask, make sure the eye
holes are large enough so they
can see out.
• Provide children with
flashlights to carry for light-
ing, include glow sticks as
part of their costume.
• Dried flowers, cornstalks,
and crepe paper are highly
flammable. Keep these and
other decorations well away
from all open flames and heat
sources.
• It is safest to use a flash-
light or battery-operated can-
dles 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 matches or a utility
lighter. Be sure to place lit
pumpkins well away from
anything that can burn and
far out of the way of trick-or-
treaters, steps, and walkways.
• Remember to keep exits
clear of decorations, so noth-
ing 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 prac-
tice stopping immediately,
dropping to the ground, cov-
ering their face with hands,
and rolling to put flames out.)
• Use flashlights as alterna-
tives 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.
• If your children are going
to parties at others’ homes,
have them look for ways out
of the home and plan how to
get out in an emergency.
Homecoming royalty...
photo by Jerry baldock
Jadon Bachtold and marissa Young were crowned Homecoming
King and Queen during festivities last week. Events included a
parade, a dance, and a victorious football game.
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