With Halloween tomorrow, I thought I’d pass on that the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is giving away free glowsticks for kids’ safety on Halloween night. The four offices you can get glowsticks are:

• The main office in Bend, 63333 West Highway 20
• The Sisters substation, 703 North Larch
• The La Pine substation, 51340 Highway 97
• The Terrebonne substation, 8154 11th Street, Suite 3

They also are offering up a number of tips for parents, motorists, and general safety:

Read more—tips and safety

For parents:

• Children should accept treats only at the doorway of homes.
• Children should never enter a stranger’s home.
• Children should never accept rides from strangers.
• Children should never take short-cuts through backyards, construction areas or alley ways.
• Children should travel in groups of 3-5 people if an adult is not accompanying them.
• Set a time limit for your children to be out on Halloween night.
• Adult escorts and children should carry flashlights.
• Children should have all treats carefully inspected before eating them.
• All fruit treats should be discarded unless you know the person handing them out.
• For safety reasons, children should walk and never run during trick-or-treating.
• Props such as toy guns or swords should be made of pliable material to prevent serious injuries.
• Realistic replica firearms should NEVER be used.
• Masks should only be worn if they are properly fitted and provide unobstructed breathing and visibility.
• Children should always use sidewalks and not streets for walking.
• Children should look in all directions before crossing the street.
• Attaching retro-reflective tape, fabric, or decorative patches to costumes and/or trick-or-treat bags allows children to be more visible at night.

For motorists:

• Drivers should be particularly alert on Halloween night and watch for children on streets, alleys, cross-walks and driveways.
• Motorists should slow down while driving through residential areas, and should especially be aware of the increased number of children walking in neighborhoods.
• Motorists should be alert, this is an exciting time for children and the potential for kids to dart out into traffic is heightened.
• Motorists should be extremely careful backing out of driveways and parking lots. Children, especially the small ones, are hard to see at night. Drivers should make sure their path is clear to avoid any avoidable accidents.
• Halloween is an ideal time for social events. If drivers intend to celebrate, the Sheriff’s Office would like to remind them not to drink and drive. All motorists should have a designated driver or should call a taxi.

General:

• Candlelit jack-o-lanterns should be avoided to prevent accidental fires with costumes.
• If jack-o-lanterns are candlelit inside of a residence, make sure they are kept away from flammable material, curtains and decorations.
• Creepy contact lenses have become popular in recent years, such as cat eyes or snake eyes. Improper use and clear contact lenses can lead to painful eye infections and even vision loss.
• False eyelashes and costume makeup can also irritate eyes, follow the package directions on how to apply and remove safely.
• Makeup should be used in place of masks; they can obstruct children’s vision and can be dangerous when crossing streets, going up and down steps.
• Only purchase costumes that are flame retardant, so children are not in danger near burning decorative objects.
• Keep pets inside your home, or another safe place on Halloween night.
• Trick-or-treaters should avoid animals or pets which may become upset by masks and costumes.

Stay safe out there.