FirstEnergy Utilities offer Halloween safety tips

FirstEnergy Corp. reminds everyone – from hosts and parents to children in costumes – and motorists – to include safety as part of their plans before Halloween arrives.

The company advises to limit travels to well-lit, familiar areas, and never go trick-or-treating alone. They also said to be sure costumes are visible after dark and that costume masks don’t block the vision of the wearer. Carrying a flashlight or including reflective material or glow sticks as part of a costume improves visibility for all.

Motorists should also use extra caution during trick or treat hours, especially on smaller neighborhood streets without street lights.

Additional safety tips include:

• Use electric lights, battery-powered tea lights or glow sticks in jack o’ lanterns instead of burning candles.
• Wear flame-resistant costumes and never walk near lit candles or luminaries.
• Keep walking areas and steps well lit and free of obstacles to avoid falls.
• Wherever possible use established crosswalks and look both ways before crossing the street.
• Decorative lights should be approved by Underwriter’s Laboratory and carry a UL seal on the tag. Red UL marks indicate the lights are approved for indoor or outdoor use, while green UL tags indicate approval for indoor use only.
• Outdoor lights and decorations should be plugged into outlets that feature Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters (GFCIs).
• Indoor lights should not touch drapes, carpet or furniture.
• Place all lights on a timer if you’ll be away from home, and turn off all lights before you go to bed.