Salem Police Department Halloween Dress Rehearsal

We ask the entire community to assist us in making Halloween night safe and enjoyable for everybody

Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Salem Police Department Crime Prevention Unit will host its 5th Annual Halloween Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, October 23, 2010, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the atrium of the Police Department at 555 Liberty St. SE, first floor.

The focus of the event is to have children's costumes ready to wear for a safe evening of Halloween trick-or-treating. Children and their parents are invited to dress up in their Halloween costume and have it evaluated for safety based on common hazards, such as low visibility (specifically the reflectivity of the costume, as well as the visual limitations due to masks or wigs) and costume fit (length as a tripping hazard).

Glow lights, reflective tape and fluorescent bracelets will be provided (while supplies last) to help increase costume visibility. Parents and children can also review pedestrian and traffic safety.

Local vendors participating include Home Depot, Party Depot, Starbucks, and Target.

For families unable to attend the event, the following safety tips are offered:

Start with the costume:

• Make it bright, reflective, and flame resistant. Add reflective tape to the extremities of the costume or add glow sticks or glow necklaces to the design to make it fun for kids to wear.
• Make sure the costume fits well in order to avoid any trips or falls due to costume length.
• Wear makeup in place of a mask to ensure that children can see properly.

Ready to walk the neighborhood:

• Travel in small groups under the supervision of an adult.
• Carry a flashlight and keep it lit to increase your visibility.
• Cross streets at corners and remember to look both ways before crossing. Never cross between parked cars.
• Stay on sidewalks and avoid walking along the street when walking from house to house.
• Ask your Neighborhood Watch or citizen group to do a patrol on Halloween night.

If you are trick-or-treating with a vehicle, children should get in and out of the car on the curbside, not the traffic side.

For those who may be out and about driving on Halloween night, please remember:

• Drive with extra care.
• Watch for excited children who may try to cross in the middle of the street.
• Carefully exit driveways and alleyways.

We ask the entire community to assist us in making Halloween night safe and enjoyable for everybody.