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JFRD Urges Residents to Plan Ahead for a Safe Holiday Weekend

With Halloween falling on a Saturday this year, the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department is expecting crews to be busy. Trick-or-treaters will fill neighborhoods early, while college students and young adults head to other festivities later into the night.

Firefighters see the same preventable injuries every year, and no, it’s not upset stomachs from too much candy. It’s pedestrians struck by vehicles, falls, crashes caused by impaired drivers, and overconsumption of alcohol. 


While we want everyone to have a good time, we also want everyone to go home safely. JFRD offers the following tips: 


Choose a safe costume

  • Make sure costumes fit well and are short enough to prevent trips and falls.
  • Use face paint or makeup instead of masks that block vision.
  • Add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags, and give every child a flashlight or a glow stick.

 

Trick- or-Treat safely

  • Make sure an adult accompanies children under 12. Older children should travel in groups, stick to a planned route, have a way to communicate, and check in at set times. 
  • Use sidewalks. Where there are none, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
  • Cross at corners and crosswalks. Look both ways and never dart out between parked cars. 
  • Put phones away while walking. Distractions affect pedestrians as well as drivers. 


Drivers, slow down in neighborhoods and watch carefully for children as you enter and exit driveways and alleys. If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive. 


Party responsibly

  • Plan a sober ride home before you go out. Use a designated driver or rideshare. 
  • Stay with your group, and don’t leave anyone behind who’s been drinking. 
  • Know the signs of alcohol poisoning: confusion, vomiting, slow or irregular breathing, pale or bluish skin, and being hard to wake. Call 911 and stay with the person while you wait for help to arrive. 


Page Break

As a reminder, daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 1, the morning after Halloween. JFRD encourages residents to use the clock change to check their home safety and emergency plans. 

  • Test smoke alarms and replace batteries as needed. Replace any alarm more than 10 years old. If you need an alarm installed, JFRD can help. Call 904-630-CITY to learn more. 
  • Check carbon monoxide alarms if your home has gas appliances or an attached garage.
  • Review your home fire escape plan with everyone in the household. Know two ways out of every room and pick a meeting spot outside.
  • Teach children their address and how and when to call 911.

"This weekend should be about candy and costumes, not a trip in one of our Rescue units," said Director/Fire Chief Percy Golden II. “Most of the injuries we respond to over Halloween weekend can be prevented with a little planning. Make kids easy to see, and if you’re going out this weekend, plan to have fun safely."

In an emergency, call 911. For more safety information, visit MyJFRD.com or follow JFRD on social media.