EMSA safety reminders ahead of Halloween
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Halloween is less than a week away, and while it's a fun night, EMSA said parents should use this time to prepare for a safe holiday.
"Who wants to spend their Halloween in the E.R.?" said Tori Thompson, an EMSA paramedic.
After nearly 20 years as a first responder, Thompson knows it's not all costumes and candy.
"We don't want kids crossing traffic. That's where the accidents happen," said Thompson.
She advises parents park their car and walk door-to-door with their children. If that's not possible, drop them off from the car curbside.
She said people get hit by cars the most on Halloween than any other night of the year. She's seen it before.
"A kid came out of a car, tripped and was run over by a vehicle trying to cross traffic," said Thompson.
Tripping can also lead to broken bones and concussions. To avoid that, make sure your child's costume fits and can easily be seen by drivers. You can always use something like reflective tape.
"Flashlights that hook on the costume are very appropriate," said Thompson.
If your child doesn't want to lose the illusion of their carefully-crafted costume, you can always use glow sticks or glow-in-the-dark bracelets.
"If you see a crew out while you're out, trick or treat and stop and get you some bracelets," said Thompson.
Then, of course, there's the loot of the evening. Thompson said parents should carefully go through their child's candy bag.
Remember, young ones can easily choke on small pieces, like a Whopper, instantly.
"It's a matter of putting it in your mouth, not chewing, swallowing, and you have an airway obstruction," said the paramedic.
Paramedics demonstrated what to do if that happens on an ultra-realistic toddler mannequin. Flip the child over, make sure their head is down, and give them five hard blows on the back.
"Then we're going to turn over and look if we see anything in the airway that we can remove," said Thomspon.
If you can't remove the object, start the Heimlich by making a fist just below the bottom ribs, and thrusting in and up.
If the child loses consciousness, call 911 and start CPR, with two to three fingers, going a third of the way into the chest at most.
"We don't want this to be a tragic Halloween," said Thompson.
Oklahoma City said its trick-or-treaters will go door-to-door on October 31.
City officials want to remind homeowners to remove anything that could cause kids to trip from their porch. If you don't plan on giving out candy, turn your porch lights off.
Also, if you have a furry friend, it would be best to put them in a different room. Doorbells and noisy strangers at the door could scare them.