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  Halloween, have a safe night with these tips

Halloween can be a fun celebration, but children should be closely supervised and their costumes should be made with fire safety in mind.

Decorations for special events, most often involving candles, cause hundreds of home fires annually and result in avoidable deaths. Many people also die as a result of their clothing becoming ignited.

Taking some time to consider the following safety tips when preparing your youngster for Halloween activities should make for a safe and happy holiday.

Make sure fabrics for costumes and decorative materials are flame resistant.

Using candles greatly increases the chance of fire, so Sparky encourages people to use flashlights to light pumpkins and other spooky Halloween effects.

Purchase only Halloween costumes, wigs and props which are labeled as flame resistant or flame retardant.

When creating a homemade costume, plan carefully to ensure it won't easily ignite if it comes in contact with heat or flame. Costumes should be made without billowing or long trailing features that present a higher risk of ignition. Avoid highly flammable fabrics and accessories.

Decorating with candles should be avoided. Pumpkins can be safely illuminated with small, inexpensive flashlights. When decorating, remember to keep exits clear.

Instruct children to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Be sure each child knows the "stop, drop and roll" technique in the event his or her clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, Drop to the ground covering your face with your hands, and Roll over and over to extinguish the flames.)

Be sure children are supervised at all times.

Have a save and happy Halloween.

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