Halloween safety – don’t get spooked out

THE American tradition of celebrating Halloween has firmly established itself in many South African neighbourhoods and on Saturday 31 October, children will again head out onto the streets for what should be a fun night of trick-or-treating.

ADT’s district manager for KwaZulu-Natal, Ivan Govender, said unfortunately, not everyone will be outdoors with honourable motives.

“ADT Security cautions everyone to ensure they keep their family and home safe, whether they are out collecting candy, or just staying at home. The following tips might help,” he said.

Govender said it was important to light up the nigh, by making children easily visible with flashlights or glow sticks.

“Some restaurants and fast food places even give away transparent bags for candy that include a glow stick you can put inside the bag. This limits the amount of things your child has to carry, but allows you to easily view them. Always ensure children are accompanied by an adult or older sibling. Set a time limit for your children to 'trick-or-treat' and designate a specific route for them to take. Be alert for any speeding cars in the suburb,” he said.

Govender said parents should never allow children to enter a stranger’s house.

“There is no kind of candy that is worth a security risk so do not allow your children to enter a stranger’s home, no matter how appealing the offer or Halloween display. Watch what your children eat, and rather be cautious and do not allow your children to accept homemade or unwrapped treats,” he said.

He said residents should host their own Halloween party to be able to keep children safe at the same time.

“This will allow you to choose what your children get for Halloween and who they are mixing with. But remember that your home can be a target too if perpetrators perceive that you are not paying attention to your surroundings. While celebrating, , always keep your remote panic with you, ensure your perimeter is secure and do not let strangers into your home,” he said.

Govender said when you go out, arm your security system and lock doors and windows before you leave your home.

“Light up your home, whether or not you have plans to go out on Halloween night. Turn on a few lights around your home to give the impression that someone is home and still awake. Additionally, well-lit areas outside your home will deter potential intruders or malicious pranksters by eliminating hiding places caused by shadows,” he said.

He said residents should adjust their security camera settings to areas that they are focused on.

“For instance, you might want to keep cameras on the doors and windows, but you also might want to put some focus on the streets around your house so that if any pranks are pulled, you can see where they came from and maybe even see who did them,” said Govender.

He said cellphones were great for keeping people secure when they are out of the house, and if your child does not have a cellphone and you are not the one taking him or her trick-or-treating, allow them to borrow your phone.

“If your child has a cellphone, make sure it is fully charged. You might also want to make sure that he or she is in an area with good signal reception. Also, test your security system on a regular basis. If you have a home automation system, you can check in on your security system on Halloween from your phone,” he said.