Fireproofing your child’s Halloween costume
This Halloween, your little one might have a great time dressing up as a doctor, but you’ll want to make sure your trick-or-treater doesn’t need to visit a real one.
Some 3,400 candle-related burn injuries are treated in hospital emergency rooms each year, according to James Burns, safety spokesperson from the National Association of State Fire Marshals.
On Halloween, a spooky jack-o-lantern can start a really scary fire. “Our concern arises from the increased exposure to candle fires around Halloween, with children — and increasingly adults, too — wearing loose-fitting, baggy or billowing costumes,” says Burns. “These costumes can ignite and burn fiercely, resulting in a very real risk of serious burn injuries.”
The Fire Marshals has these tips for buying or making a fire-safe costume:
1. Avoid flowing and loose-fitting costumes.
2. Look for labels that indicate the costume is made of flame-resistant materials.
3. If you cannot find a label indicating flame resistance, choose costumes that are made primarily of polyester or nylon fabric.
4. If you are making costumes from scratch, choose polyester or nylon fabrics.
5. Avoid costumes made from cotton, rayon, acetate or their blends.
6. Avoid fake fur, stringy strands, lace trim and flimsy material.
7. Always supervise children as they go trick or treating, taking special care to avoid lit candles and jack-o-lanterns.
8. If a costume does catch fire, remember “stop, drop and roll.”
Photo by Emma Shaw
Really an excellent post for fireproofing our child’s Halloween costume. Thanks…