Area fire departments gear up for trick-or-treaters

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – New Hanover County and Wilmington Fire Departments are open to trick-or-treaters tonight.

The fire stations will be handing out candy from 5:30 t0 8:00 p.m.

Wilmington Fire Battalion Chief David Hines also offers some safety tips for tonight:

•  Provide children with flashlights to carry for lighting or glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Make sure all smoke alarms in the home are working.
• Tell children to stay away from open flames, including jack-o-lanterns with candles in them. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
• Use a battery-operated candle or glow-stick in jack-o-lanterns. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.
• Be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn and far enough out of the way of trick-or-treaters, doorsteps, walkways and yards.
• Decorations are the first thing to ignite in 900 reported home fires each year. Two of every five of these fires were started by a candle
• Remember to keep exits clear of decorations, so nothing blocks escape routes.
• If your children are going to Halloween parties at others’ homes, have them look for ways out of the home and plan how they would get out in an emergency.