Halloween has been a night of fun and mischief for centuries. Originally called “All Hallows Eve” in fifth century Ireland, the festival which today is fun and games for children was rooted in legend and fear. Celtic belief was that persons who had died the previous year would come out on October 31st, and choose a body they needed to possess for one year before moving on into the afterlife. Since villagers didn’t want to be possessed, they did everything they could to make themselves and their households unappealing to the dead.

On the night of the 31st, the villagers would put out all the fires in their household, making it cold and dark. Then, to frighten the roving ghosts and spirits, they would dress up and devils and witches and have an outdoor gathering to be as noisy as possible. Halloween, as introduced to America by immigrants, thus became known for dressing up and causing trouble, and was known as “mischief night” during the mid 1800s.

So what does this have to do with fire safety, in a month where Fire Prevention is prominent and there is so much ground to cover in safety? Let’s look at what we can do in today’s world, by taking lessons from the rich traditions of the past, to make our home and children safer.

Take a close look at your home. If you haven’t had your furnace inspected by now, you might be inviting an unwelcome fire. Make a call and get it checked. Just as the villagers used to put out the fires in their household on the night of the 31st, you too should turn out lights and extinguish your candles and jack-o-lanterns before going out…even if you’ll only be gone a minute!

If your children are going out, check their costumes for safety. Are the materials fire proof or fire resistant? Any store bought costume should have a label telling you which it is. The children will be playing around pumpkins and fire tonight, make sure there is no loose material on them which could catch fire. If they’re wearing a hood or mask, make sure they can see through it.

Remember to give them a flashlight with fresh batteries, so cars and other people can see them walking. Always make sure they have adult supervision when trick or treating, and do an inventory of their haul at the end of the evening. This gives you a chance to inspect the goods for tampering before your children eat them.

If you’re having people over to your house, it’s a good idea to make sure you’re ready for guests. Make sure your smoke detectors work, and have adults nearby the children while they play Halloween games, to minimize injuries.

Halloween is a fun, special time for children. Keep them safe from fire and injury…and keep them in the spirit of the holiday!