As Halloween and Bonfire Night approach, autumn has definitely arrived and we love these autumnal activities.

We all love to dress up for Trick or Treating but be mindful that many costumes are highly flammable. Combine this with candles in pumpkins and swinging lanterns and you could have a recipe for disaster. Why not consider using battery operated tealights as an alternative?

Make sure costumes fit properly to avoid trips and falls.

If you are going out in the dark put some reflective tape on the back of costumes so that drivers can see you.

Walk in a group and don’t approach houses in complete darkness.

Keep the treats until you get home – chewing gum and hard sweets can pose a choking risk to younger children.

Remove face paints/make up before bedtime to avoid any possible skin irritation.

As much fun as Bonfire Night is we must always be mindful of safety and adherence to the Firework Code to protect ourselves and others.

 Safe firework display

If you are doing your own fireworks it is important to follow the Firework Code to stay safe. This includes:

• Keeping people at a safe distance and supervising children
• Buying CE marked fireworks only
• Keeping fireworks boxed somewhere safely until using them even during the display
• Read the instructions and follow them carefully
• Light them at arm’s length and move away and don’t return to it once it is lit
• Never throw fireworks and always point them upwards only
• Secure them as instructed before lighting them
• Don’t use accelerants on your bonfire like paraffin or petrol
• Ensure your bonfire is extinguished and the area is made safe before you leave it

Attending a firework display

If you are attending an organised display and taking young children with you ensure that they are aware of the dangers of bonfires and fireworks to keep them safe. When children use sparklers they should be stood with plenty of space, and you should ensure that they are not wearing loose clothing or flammable gloves.

Dress them warmly but in something that makes them stand out so that it is easy to spot them in the dark and in crowds. Also, pick out a landmark as a meeting place in case you get separated so you can find them again.

If your child is sensitive to loud noises consider taking some earmuffs or ear protectors to reduce the noise level of fireworks so that it can decrease the distress it may cause them.

Don’t forget your pets

Make sure pets are safely inside during the firework period and that if they are nervous about the noises and you have to leave them, put some music on for them to drown out the noise.

Whatever you are doing this Halloween and Bonfire Night, we hope you have a fun and safe evening!