Robins candy drive and Halloween happenings Published Oct. 24, 2008 By Holly Birchfield 78th ABW/PA ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Halloween can be a fun time of dressing up in entertaining costumes and enjoying treats of all kinds. If people aren't careful though, the fun can be ruined by injury or even death in some cases. Using a little common sense mixed with risk management thinking can help people avoid the dangers that can lurk in the dark. "Halloween safety to me involves a lot of common sense," said Robert Prince, an administrative assistant in the 78th Air Base Wing Safety Office. "You want to make sure your kids are dressed brightly if you're going to let them go out and trick-or-treat. Know the houses they're going to and make sure they have flashlights." Dave Decker, a safety manager in the Safety Office, said wearing reflective materials and even taking a glow stick can help make people more visible when out during evening and night hours. Jerry Clineman, a safety and health manager in the Safety Office, said it's also important to make sure children can see well through any costume. Costumes can present fire hazards too if people aren't careful. "With adults and children, you need to think about what you use for your costume or what you purchase as a costume is flame retardant," Mr. Prince said. "We don't want anyone to bump into a candle and set someone on fire." Halloween décor can also present fire hazards, Mr. Decker said. "Some people may have decorations around their house or on their front porch, such as lighted candles or jack-o-lanterns," he said. "They don't need to leave those where a child coming to the front porch to trick-or-treat could knock those candles off or swing around and their costume gets into the candles." Mr. Decker said it's best to use battery-operated décor to avoid such hazards. Mr. Prince said keeping children off the streets will keep them safer. "Go up and down driveways and sidewalks and stay out of people's yards, because there are hoses and sprinkler heads and all kinds of tripping hazards," he said. Mr. Clineman said people who host trick-or-treaters need to ensure their home is welcoming and not a safety hazard. "People who are hosting children, we often forget to go out in our front yards or on our front walkways and clean them up a bit, making sure that hoses and sprinklers aren't in the way." No matter the person's age, trick-or-treating in groups is always a safer way to go, Mr. Prince said. Despite kids' tendency to sneak at least a piece or two of candy before arriving home, Mr. Prince said it's best to wait. "I would not let children open any candy and eat it before you can pour it out and go through it," he said. "Make sure all the packages are factory sealed. Make sure the wrappers have not been tampered with." As the sun begins to go down and trick-or-treaters are on the hunt for candy, drivers need to be especially careful, Mr. Prince said. "If you're going to be driving around on Halloween, everyone needs to be extra careful, more responsible and more observant because you've got children out walking around and adults out hauling kids around for trick-or-treating," he said. Halloween safety can also protect extended family members, like pets, Mr. Decker said. "People don't need to leave their pets outside at this time because kids come up and some pets may not be as friendly to strange kids versus their own family members that live in their house," he said. "Some kids like to tease pets, especially dogs, and you never know how a dog may react to a kid teasing them." Mr. Decker said if people choose to take their family dog trick-or-treating with them, they shouldn't give them any candy, as items, such as chocolate, are deadly to dogs. Mr. Prince said a lot of mishaps can be avoided this time of year just by people thinking first. "If you'll think about what you're doing, use a little bit of risk management, and if you will just use good common sense, you'll find yourself to be a lot safer." Robins candy drive Base officials are asking Robins personnel to get in the "Trick or Treat" spirit a little early this year through a Halloween Candy Drive. "Each year, our Airmen in on-base housing not only give out candy to children from their neighborhoods but also to children who come on base to trick or treat," said Senior Master Sgt. Keith Davis, 78th Security Forces manager. "Parents bring their children on base because they feel it's a safer environment," he said. While everyone is happy to support whoever chooses to trick or treat on base, we felt it would help if our base folks stepped up to defray some of the cost." The candy drive will run today through Oct. 31. Base personnel are encouraged to drop off unopened bags of candy to the commissary, base exchange, the main gym in Bldg. 826, Security Forces Law Enforcement Desk in Bldg. 263 or any first sergeant. Home-made treats will not be accepted. All candy will be given out to those on-base families handing out candy. For more information, please call Sergeant Davis at 397-8976.