Authorities encourage safety first this Halloween
By John Joyce
Published in News on October 28, 2015 1:46 PM
The Wayne County Sheriff's Office and the Goldsboro Police Department are looking forward to safe yet still spooky Halloween Saturday evening.
The city's official trick-or-treat hours are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday night, Oct. 31.
City officials are asking parents to supervise their children, and saying the cutoff age for participating in trick-or-treat activities is 16 years old.
Trick-or-treating should be limited to each child's own neighborhood, the city says, and residents wanting to participate in the Halloween activities should leave a porch or outdoor light on during Halloween night.
Homes that do not have outdoor lights on should be passed over by children participating in trick-or-treating.
For those families who plan to go trick-or-treating, some simple safety tips can make the difference between spook and horror.
"Halloween should be filled with surprise and enjoyment, and following some common sense practices can keep events safer and more fun," Wayne County Sheriff Pierce said.
For motorists:
* Watch for children darting between cars.
* Watch for children walking on roadways, medians and curbs.
* Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.
For parents:
* Make sure children are accompanied by an adult.
* Older children should trick-or-treat in a group.
* Follow familiar routes.
* Stop only at houses that are well-lit and NEVER enter a stranger's home.
* Establish a return team.
* Teach children their phone numbers and how to call 911 for help in an emergency.
Cpl. Marissa Davis of the Goldsboro Police Department Crime Prevention Office said the most important aspect of costume design is to wear bright colors of reflective tape.
It is also important for parents to mindful of what their children are eating.
"And remember those days where our parents would inspect our candy, and back then they gave out fruit, before we could eat any of it. We need to continue that and make sure there aren't any dangerous or inappropriate items in there," she said.
Cpl. Davis said a full list of safety tips is available the website SafeKids.org, where the slogan this year is, "Be safe, be seen on Halloween."