West Newbury, Groveland and Merrimac Police Departments Offer Halloween Safety Tips

With Halloween now just weeks away, Chief Art Reed, Chief Jeffrey Gillen and Chief Eric Shears and the West Newbury, Groveland and Merrimac Police Departments want to remind families of several important safety tips as they prepare to take their children trick-or-treating.

Trick-or-treating hours in all three communities will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 31, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Chiefs Reed, Shears and Gillen wish to offer residents of their respective communities the following tips to help ensure everyone has a fun and safe Halloween.

Children should:

Only approach well-lit houses and always travel in small groups
Wear clothing that is bright, reflective and flame retardant
Use flashlights for guidance on sidewalks, walkways and when crossing the street
Make sure masks have eye-holes large enough to see any tripping hazards or oncoming traffic, and mouth openings large enough to breathe easily
Practice safe street-crossing by using crosswalks and walk signals
Wear sturdy shoes and temperature appropriate clothing under costumes

Parents and guardians should:

Supervise children under 12 years old
Establish a designated curfew for older children
Make sure children are wearing safe costumes that fit well and don’t drag on the ground
Apply reflective tape to your child’s arms, legs and treat bags
Assure costume accessories such as swords and other pointed objects are made with soft and safe materials

Homeowners should:

Keep inside and outside lights on during trick-or-treat hours
Avoid placing lit candles and jack-o-lanterns on doorsteps and walkways where costumes could brush against them and cause burns or fire
Only hand out candy that is packaged and wrapped
Avoid handing out small toys that could cause choking or lead poisoning for small children

Additionally, any suspicious person or vehicle should immediately be reported to the West Newbury Police Department at 978-363-1212, the Merrimac Police Department at 978-346-8321 or the Groveland Police Department at 978-521-1212.

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