SAN ANTONIO – Spooky season doesn’t have to come with spooky consequences.
Elique Guerra and Rico Lane, two former first responders who now work for Endeavors, told KSAT that some of their biggest safety tips coincide with candy and the lack of sunlight.
“You eat the candy. Make sure you check it,” Rico Lane, a former Army police officer said. “There’s (sic) some weird people who may try to do something to the candy, so make sure you inspect it before you eat it.”
If your child receives Halloween candy with a hole in the wrapper or if the candy isn’t tightly wrapped by the manufacturer, it’s best not to eat it.
Candy from other people can also expose your child to allergens. Before they eat any candy, inspect your child’s candy for anything they might be allergic to.
Most trick-or-treating tends to happen after the sun sets, which Guerra said could impact your child’s costume.
“We’d like to remind parents to think about their children being seen,” Guerra, another former Army police officer, said. “At night, make sure they’re wearing something reflective or something highly, brightly-colored. Just so that they can be visible on the road. We want to get all of our kids home.”
“Implement the wingman system,” Lane said. “That means don’t go anywhere alone and always have a buddy there with you. But then, too, for parents to keep a close eye on them because you never know in the blink of an eye, they can kind of wander off and be missing.”
There are also things to keep in mind for adults with or without children. If you’re going to be driving at night, remember to watch out for kids on the road. If you’re going to be drinking, don’t get behind the wheel.
“We understand this time of year (that) there’s a lot of Halloween parties and Halloween bashes, but be smart,” Guerra said.
Guerra recommends adults be safe rather than sorry by using a car service app.
“Think about the kids and the families that all got to get home safe,” Guerra said.