Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 30/02) - Halloween is a wildly exciting time for kids.

And while it's tempting for them to run like maniacs from house to house, gobbling up candy as they go, it is not necessarily safe to do so.

Diana and Thu Bui trick-or-treating last Halloween. - NNSL file photo

For starters, some may be wearing long costumes or masks that hinder their vision or cause them to trip. Kids should walk carefully, and finish trick-or-treating on one side of the street before crossing to the other.

"Instead of running zig-zag from house to house, because you increase your chances of getting hit by a vehicle when you do that," said Clem St. Croix, the Yellowknife fire department's deputy fire chief.

It also helps to take a pair of scissors and enlarge the eyeholes of masks so kids can better see what they're doing.

St. Croix added residents can help keep the night accident-free by clearing their walkways of snow and ice and getting rid of all hazards that could trip a child.

"If you have a gate, prop it open," he added.

And trick-or-treaters should respect the property of the generous Yellowknifers who give out candy.

It almost goes without saying that kids should not eat on the run.

"Check out all your treats with an adult," said St. Croix. "If anything about it raises any type of suspicion, they should not consume any of it."

Here are some other safety tips:

- Prior to Halloween night, choose a route for trick-or-treating.

- Set a time for your children to return.

- Children under eight should trick-or-treat with an adult; older children should go in a group. No one should trick-or-treat alone.

- Don't carry sharp props.

- Carry a flashlight, stay in well-lit areas, add reflective tape to costumes.

- Walk on sidewalks, cross the road safely.

- Drivers: be alert for children.

- Keep your porch light on.

- Keep jack o'lanterns away from curtains and other flammable materials.

- Wear fire-resistant costumes.