Stay safe while trick or treating

• Use small appliances to cook dinner: Make an easy, quick, and energy-efficient meal before you start your trick-or-treating adventure.
• Remove cords from high-traffic areas: If you’ve decorated for Halloween this year, be sure the electric cords powering these decorations are removed from places where trick-or-treaters could step on them.
• Keep walkways well-lit: As well as removing potentially hazardous cords, install lights along your walkways to ensure trick-or-treaters can see where they’re going as they walk up to your door.
• Secure lights safely: Be sure lights are safely fastened, and strings are held down by insulated staples. Do not fasten lighting with nails or staples, and avoid attaching them to metal objects.
• Use ground fault circuit interrupters (GCFIs): This will reduce the risk of shock. For older homes without GCFIs, use an adapter that includes one.
• Turn off your porch light if you don’t participate: This is a known sign to trick-or-treaters not to come to your home, and it will save you on electricity.
• Keep a phone charged: It’s always handy to keep a fully charged phone on you in case of emergencies.
• Stay visible: Take flashlights with you and make sure your kid’s costume contains an article of reflective clothing so cars can see you.
• Be safe on the roads: Follow all traffic signs, check for traffic, and use crosswalks when possible.
• Know the rules: Remember to read your neighborhood rules around trick-or-treating and be sure to follow any restrictions for your child’s and others’ safety.
• Go in groups: Remember to take your kids with other families and friends while trick-or-treating. Being with others is not only safer, but it also can be more fun!
• Check your treats: It’s uncommon for food to be tampered with, but it’s still important to check your kid’s bucket for candy with opened wrappers, homemade treats, and food your child might be allergic to.
• Turn off decorations when you go to bed: When Halloween ends and your trick-or-treaters are home, be sure to blow out any candles, deflate inflatable yard decorations, and unplug lights before you go to sleep.

For more safety tips, go to pec.coop/safety.