The city of Kelowna, BC Transit and ICBC have all released important information about being safe while trick or treating this Halloween.
The Kelowna Fire Department and RCMP have teamed up to offer spooktacular Halloween tips to make this year’s trick or treating celebrations fun and safe for everyone in our community.
Halloween safety tips:
· Choose a costume that is bright, visible and without long trailing fabric that could catch a flame
· Provide children with flashlights or glow sticks so cars can easily see them
· Stick to the sidewalk: do not jaywalk and stay to one side of the street at a time
· Have an adult or an older teenager accompany young children trick-0r-treating
· Keep all decorations away from open flames, especially dried flowers, crepe paper and cornstalks and haybales
· Use a battery-operated candle in your jack-o-lantern
· Ensure exits remain visible and are not obstructed by Halloween decorations.
· Ensure costumes with fake weapons are easily identified as fake
· Check that a mask does not block the child’s vision or sightlines
· Teach children to stop, drop and roll if their costume catches fire
· Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working
· Have parents check all candy before being consumed: candy wrappers that have been damaged or have been tampered with should be discarded
KFD would also like to remind residents that Firecrackers and recreational fireworks are not permitted in the City of Kelowna.
“There are very few urban centers in BC who still permit recreational fireworks,” said Paul Johnson, Fire Prevention Officer, with the Kelowna Fire Department. “Not only can they be dangerous to an inexperienced operator and those observing, but they also pose a significant fire risk with surrounding trees, grasses and dry areas.”
Fireworks may only be used by a licensed operator through a permitting process from the fire department. Persons caught shooting fireworks are subject to a minimum of a $250 bylaw offence notice issued by the fire department.
Little witches and zombies will roam our streets on Tuesday, October 31 and BC Transit wants everyone to be a safety pro this Halloween.
Halloween is a time of excitement for trick-or-treaters and BC Transit’s BusReady program has some spook-tacular safety tips:
Be Visible: Add reflectors and lights to costumes to stay seen in the dark.
Cross Safely: Use crosswalks when trick-or-treating. Look both ways before crossing.
Community Spirit: Help and watch out for one another, especially the little ones.
Stay on Track: Know the neighborhood and bus stops to prevent getting lost. The bus is a safe place to find help if you need it.
Stay Alert: Encourage kids to pay attention to sounds and sights while trick-or-treating.
Looking for more information? The BusReady website has fun and educational activities, including a website-wide pumpkin scavenger hunt, printable activities, and videos to get everyone into the Halloween spirit! Check out the BusReady Halloween page here.
BC Transit encourages people to transit to trick-or-treat locations because children 12 and under ride free. For more information about trip planning, schedules and to sign up for customer alerts, please visit bctransit.com.
Halloween should be a fun-filled day for all British Columbians, but it can also be a frightening time on our roads.
Every year on October 31, an average of 250 people are injured and one person is killed in 830 crashes in B.C.*
With festivities set to take place throughout the province this weekend and on Tuesday, here are some steps you can take to help keep everyone safe this Halloween:
*Crash and injury statistics are from ICBC data (5-year average, 2018-2022) for the 24-hour period on October 31.