Halloween/Fall Festival planned for Harmon Field

Published 2:43 pm Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Submitted by Whitfield County government



Halloween falls on a Friday this year. Whitfield County Emergency Services joins the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) in encouraging children and their parents to celebrate the day safely.

Emergency managers work with local public safety officials in the community to ensure safety guides Halloween festivities.

“Of course, Halloween is an exciting time for all kids, but it can be a safe one, too. Even if parents hear and share these safety tips with their children every year, it’s not too often. ” said Jeffrey Putnam, director of Whitfield County Emergency Services.

Some basic Halloween safety recommendations:

• Children should only go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods or in familiar areas.

• Children should go as early in the evening as possible, preferably during daylight hours.

• Children should be accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult.

• Children should not enter the homes of strangers.

• Children should carry flashlights and wear light-colored costumes or costumes with reflective tape.

• Parents or responsible adults should inspect the candies that children receive. Items that are unwrapped should be discarded, even though incidents of deliberate tampering with candy are rare.

• Motorists should be particularly cautious and watchful for children who might dart into the street.

A Halloween/Fall Festival is being planned at Harmon Field from 4 to 7 p.m. if you would like to take your children to an organized event.

For more information on Halloween safety, please call Putnam at (706) 370-4911 or visit one of the following Websites:

• Red Cross: www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/October/octtips.html.

• Consumer Product Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/hallow.html

• National Safety Council: www.nsc.org/resources/Factsheets/hl/halloween.aspx.

• National Confectioners Association: www.candyusa.org