KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. – As children prepare their costumes and candy bags, parents and guardians can take simple safety steps to provide a fun and frightening Halloween for their families on base and in the local community.
From choosing bright, reflective costumes to planning safe travel routes, these precautions help create a worry-free Halloween experience, allowing families to enjoy the festivities with confidence and peace of mind.
While it’s important to keep safety in mind when picking a costume, this especially matters when families plan to trick-or-treat where there is traffic nearby. The Food and Drug Administration recommends choosing bright colors over dark hues to enhance pedestrian visibility. According to the Air Force Safety Center, drivers are twice as likely to hit pedestrians on Halloween, so they recommend attaching reflective tape or stickers to the costume or goodie bag for extra visibility.
Buying a costume that fits properly matters too, as anything that’s too loose could become dangerous to wear.
“If someone’s costume is dragging on the ground, they could trip out onto the street or even on the sidewalk,” said Officer William Nichols, 81st Security Forces Squadron police officer. “Crossing through people’s lawns should also be avoided because someone could step in a hole and injure themself.”
The FDA also recommends non-toxic makeup for the costume instead of a mask to avoid obstructing a child’s breathing or vision; however, if a mask is going to be worn, it should fit well and be fire-resistant, like the rest of the costume.
“When trick-or-treating, an adult should always have a flashlight when accompanying children while they’re looking for candy,” said U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Ashley, 81st Training Wing safety technician. “If children 12 years and older trick-or-treat alone, parents should plan a route that they’re familiar with.”
He added that trick-or-treaters should avoid homes that do not have porch or internal lights on as the homeowners may not be home or do not want to participate. This helps children avoid any potential hazards in unlit areas as well as teach them about respecting the homeowners’ boundaries.
If anyone gets invited into a stranger’s home, Ashley advised, they can decline and then get away from there. The first chance they get, they need to let their parents and law enforcement know what happened.
Pedestrians aren’t the only ones who need to implement safety practices. Motorists can also create a safe trick-or-treating environment by practicing safe driving habits.
“Keep your headlights on [when it’s dark outside] and understand that it is Halloween,” said Ashley. “There's going to be a lot of kids and adults crossing the streets.”
In addition to trick-or-treating, some people host Halloween parties where alcoholic beverages might be served. Ashley reminded that anyone who plans to consume alcohol must plan appropriately and have a designated driver, use a rideshare or take a taxi to get home safely.
While trick-or-treating and costume safety tips can be applied both on and off base, Keesler is taking extra steps to provide a secure Halloween for families.
“There’s going to be officers and volunteers patrolling the area and walking the routes with the trick-or-treaters and their parents,” said Nichols.“It helps put everyone at ease and they’re readily available so if there’s an issue, all anyone needs to do is look for someone in a military uniform and reflective vest for assistance.”
Nichols added that everyone should join in for base trick-or-treating because it’s one of the few base-wide events where families and kids can gather with friends who live off base. “It’s fun to see creative costumes and enjoy candy, but it’s really all about strengthening the community,” he said.
For service members who often work away from family, base trick-or-treating offers a chance to foster a sense of togetherness in a fun, spooky and welcoming environment that is safe and secure for everyone.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2025 10:54 |
| Story ID: | 550653 |
| Location: | BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 10 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ensuring safety amidst the spookiness, by SrA Devyn Waits, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
