Full Notification

The South River Police Department wishes everybody a safe, happy, and enjoyable Halloween. In an effort to help ensure this, we would like to share the following tips with our community:

Safety Tips for Children:

• Travel in supervised groups
• Go only to well-lit houses
• Stay in a neighborhood you know
• Never enter houses or accept rides from strangers
• Accept only packaged candy
• Bring treats home for inspection by your parents
• Walk, don’t run
• Bring a flashlight, even if you expect to be home before dark
• Wear bright, reflective clothing, and wear extra reflectors
• Do not wear loose fitting costumes that you may trip over
• Do not wear masks that block vision
• Wear only fire resistant costumes
• Cross the street in groups
• Cross the street only at corners
• Watch for cars, trucks, and low-flying broomsticks
• Stay on sidewalks, avoid crossing yards
• Never, ever bring any weapons to school-even fake or costume weapons
• Always be polite and say thank you!

Safety Tips for Adults:

• Young children should be accompanied by an adult
• Establish a curfew for older children
• Bring a flashlight
• Prepare homes for trick-or-treaters by clearing walkways and porches, and turning on exterior lights
• Place jack-o-lanterns away from walkways and doorways
• Only give wrapped candy
• Avoid giving choking hazards as treats to small children
• Inspect all candy for safety before children eat it
• Know where your children will be trick-or-treating
• Make sure all costumes are safe
• Drive slowly and watch for children in the street
• Exit driveways slowly and carefully
• Have children exit cars on the curb side, not the traffic side
• Check all costume weapons for safety - costume weapons must not be brought to school

Pumpkin Safety Tips:

• Carve pumpkins on a stable, flat surface with good lighting
• Have children draw the face with marker, then parents do the cutting
• Battery powered jack-o-lantern candles are preferable to a real flame
• Place lighted pumpkins on flat, stable surfaces away from curtains, decorations, and other flammable objects
• Do not place jack-o-lanterns in walkways or other areas where trick-or-treaters may trip over them