City of Wooster guidelines for safe trick-or-treating

As the Halloween holiday nears, the City of Wooster has provided information for the safe trick‐or‐treating of children.

Wooster officials have periodically been asked by some residents about dedicating one day for the entire city to hold trick‐or‐treat events and also have found many neighborhoods prefer to establish their own trick‐or‐treat events around Halloween. The most common day selected by neighborhoods over the years has been the last Saturday of the month.

That being the case, the city is encouraging all trick‐or‐treat events be scheduled between 4-8 p.m. on the last Saturday of October, Oct. 28, and will recognize that day and time as the city‐wide trick or treat. While it’s understood that not all neighborhoods will observe the suggested date and time, having one city‐wide recognized event will help with police coverage and hopefully provide a safe and fun Halloween for all. The city website will be updated with any neighborhoods or organizations that prefer to establish their own trick‐or‐treat events around Halloween and who notify the city officials.

Trick or treat participation guidelines

If you are giving out candy, turn on your porch/garage lights.

If you are not giving out candy, turn off your porch/garage lights.

The city asks that each family respect these guidelines. If a home has no porch lights on, do not knock on the door or ring the doorbell. There are some in the community who are at higher health risk, have different work/sleep schedules or simply do not wish to participate, and this will help ensure the safety of everyone is respected.

In addition to a single recognized day and time, parents are encouraged to keep in mind these safety tips provided by the Wooster Police Department:

—Know the neighborhood in which you plan to trick-or-treat. Pick houses you feel comfortable letting your children visit. Do not visit homes that are isolated or poorly lit.

—Children should be accompanied by a parent or trusted adult and walked to the door by the parent to receive treats. Children should never enter a home at any time.

—Safety in numbers: If your children are old enough to trick‐or‐treat on their own without an adult, have your children go in a group.

—Tell your children to only go up to houses where there are lights on and houses that have Halloween decorations.

—Make sure your costumes do not drag on the ground, preventing children from tripping over their costumes and causing injury.

—Instead of masks, have your children wear face paint so they can see their surroundings better.

—When your children have arrived home, check their candy before they eat it. Throw out any candy that is not in its original wrapper or looks like it has been tampered with.

—Say no to strangers. Tell your children to never accept a ride or go anywhere with a stranger.

—Obey the law. Encourage your children to follow all the regular rules for walking around. That includes looking both ways before crossing the street, obeying all traffic laws and using crosswalks when available.

Be aware of your surroundings at all times and have a great time.