There are a lot of hazards that surround Halloween. From pumpkin carving to milling around the streets at night, there are a lot of things that can go wrong. Fr33 Aid works to keep one another safe in various situations, and Halloween is no different. Be aware, protect yourself and others around you. Work together to keep one another safe!
General safety is mostly common sense, but as we get excited or intoxicated, sometimes we can miss something that can cause a disaster.
Photo by Flickr user IndigoPrime
- Supervise your older children and use the knives for your younger children. There are safety carving kits that are much better than using your kitchen knife and worth the investment (much cheaper than an ER visit and stitches) if you have little ones.
- Carve away from you and keep your hands clear of the knife’s path as you work.
- Keep a cloth handy to dry off your knife as you work to keep it less slippery.
Dia de los Muertos Jackolantern
If you are a DIY-er you know the difficulties in constructing your costume. Use things like spray paint or adhesive outdoors for ventilation, use eye safety equipment when operating machinery and keep sharp objects off the floor. Last minute construction (if you’re like I am) can cause a bit of a panic when things don’t go as planned. Keep a clear head and make sure you use your equipment safely! Even when sewing I recommend using safety glasses if you don’t wear glasses already.
Pet owners, if you have nervous dogs there are a few things you can do. If you can, take them for an extra long walk or play with them a little extra that day so come trick-or-treating time they won’t be anxious and will be tired. If they are especially anxious, you can give them a dose of Benadryl as directed by your veterinarian, depending on the size of the dog. This helps calm them down and helps them sleep through the chaos. With cats, please keep them in a place where they won’t dash out the front door as you give your little neighborhood monsters and ghouls candy or treats.
Wandering around town at night is the norm for Halloween, so make sure you are aware of the traffic patterns and have some reflective surfaces on your children. You can easily purchase iron-on or adhesive reflective tape to add to your cuffs or some place that doesn’t hinder the effect of your costume but still keeps you visible.
If you have a mobile device that can run different apps, there are several first aid and CPR apps out there to help you in an emergency situation. Trips to the ER increase significantly this holiday weekend, and we hope you can avoid it yourself if you are aware and alert of your surroundings.
Have a safe and happy Halloween!
