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Created: 28 October 2024

Published October 28th, 2024

Halloween Hazards Lurk, so Have a Frightful Harvest Holiday, but Keep it Safe, IDPH Urges

If you are Sick, Skip Trick-or-treating and Stay Home

CHICAGO – Halloween is time for spooky celebrations, but the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is advising Illinoisans to keep safety in mind and take some simple precautions to avoid any for real holiday horrors.

Trick-or-treaters who are feeling ill should get tested and stay home if sick, to avoid sharing any creepy contagions. Those giving out treats should wash hands frequently. Party hosts should include outdoor spaces if possible and review options for improving ventilation in their homes to keep germs from spreading. And the best protection from coughing and hacking hobgoblins like COVID-19 and the flu – protection that lasts through the fall and winter seasons - is to get fully vaccinated.

Other dangers lurk and threaten to cause havoc in various ways, including unsafe costumes, overdoing it on sweets and treats, carving pumpkins and setting up holiday decorations.

Here are additional Halloween safety tips offered by health and safety experts:

• Wear costumes with “flame resistant” on the label. If you make a DIY costume, use flame-resistant fabrics such as polyester or nylon.
• Wear bright, reflective costumes or add strips of reflective tape so you’ll be more visible when crossing streets.
• Wear makeup and hats rather than costume masks that can obscure your vision.
• Test the makeup you plan to use at least 24-48 hours in advance to avoid allergic reactions.
• Vibrantly colored makeup is popular at Halloween. Check the FDA’s list of color additives to see if the colors are FDA approved. If they aren’t approved for their intended use, don’t use them. This is especially important for colored makeup around the eyes.
• Don’t wear decorative (colored) contact lenses that appear to change how your eyes look due to the risk of eye injury unless you have seen an eye care professional for a proper fitting and been given instructions for how to use the lenses.

When it comes to enjoying Halloween treats and sweets, the FDA offers the following nutritional and safety tips for trick-or-treaters:

• Don’t eat candy until it has been inspected at home.
• Eat a snack before heading out to avoid the temptation of nibbling on a treat before it has been inspected.
• In case of a food allergy, check the label to ensure the allergen isn’t present. Tell children not to accept — or eat — anything that isn’t commercially wrapped.
• Parents of very young children should remove any choking hazards such as gum, peanuts, hard candies, or small toys from the Halloween bags.
• Inspect commercially wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) also reminds the public to beware of Halloween holiday hazards. Over the past three years, CPSC estimates that an annual average of 3,200 Halloween-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments.

Here’s how the injuries break down:

• 55% were related to pumpkin carving;
• 25% were due to falls while putting up or taking down decorations, tripping on costumes or walking while trick-or-treating;
• 20% of the injuries included lacerations, ingestions and other injuries associated with costumes, pumpkins or decorations, and allergic reactions or rashes.

Among the injured, 54 percent were adults 18 years and over, 46 percent were under 18 years old, and about 10 percent of all injuries were to children 6 years old or younger.

Stay safe this Halloween by observing the following CPSC safety tips:

Pumpkin Carving:

• Leave pumpkin carving to the adults. Child helpers can grab a spoon and scoop out the inside or use a marker to trace the design.
• When your jack-o’-lantern masterpiece is ready, use battery-operated lights or glow sticks rather than an open-flame candle.
• If using open-flame candles, keep them away from curtains, decorations and other combustibles that could catch fire.
• Never leave burning candles unattended
• Check out the CPSC’s Halloween Safety DIY video: https://youtu.be/HF3as5MGlzY

Decorating:

• Prevent fires by using battery-operated lights and glow sticks instead of candles.
• Pay attention to placement of decorations. To help prevent falls, remove obstacles from lawns, steps and porches when expecting trick-or-treaters.
• Use CPSC’s ladder safety tips to prevent injuries while putting up or taking down decorations.
• Indoors or outside, only use lights that have been tested for safety by a recognized testing laboratory. Check each set of lights, new or old, for broken or cracked sockets, frayed or bare wires, or loose connections. Discard damaged sets.

For more Halloween Safety tips and resources, check out this site from the Illinois Poison Center.

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Created: 26 August 2024

August 23, 2024 
 

Disaster Drills Are Only One Way to Be Prepared 
This School Year

CHICAGO – As students head back into classrooms across Illinois, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) is encouraging families to think about all the ways your children can be prepared. Each year, schools must deal with severe weather, transportation problems, digital safety, and even violence. 

“The Safe2Help initiative reflects our commitment to fostering a culture of safety and vigilance across the state, ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive in a secure environment. Safe2HelpIL is an essential tool in our ongoing efforts to protect and support the wellbeing of Illinois students and communities.,” said Homeland Security Advisor to Governor JB Pritzker and IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. 

“School-age children in Illinois have Safe2HelpIL as a tool to help keep them safe,” explained Deputy Homeland Security Advisor to Governor Pritzker and IEMA-OHS Deputy Director of the Office of Homeland Security Claire Moravec. “This program, included in hundreds of schools in the State, helps children who experience bullying, mental health struggles, or those who see their peers may be struggling and have nowhere to turn. My hope is that Safe2HelpIL ends the culture of 
silence and stigma surrounding these important issues for our students.” 

Students can confidentially reach out to Safe2Help several ways: 
• Call 1-844-4SAFEIL (723345)
• Text SAFE2 (72332)
• Online at https://app.safe22helpil.com/
• Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Download the Safe2HelpIL app (Android or iOS). 

Since its 2021 inception, over 3,000 incidents have been reported. The program saw an approximate 10 percent increase in bullying/harassment reports from 2022 to 2023 and increases in reports of cyberbullying during the summer months.

For other adverse events, weather alerts on cell phones, communication plans with family members, and drills at school are all helpful if students are at school during a tornado or other damaging weather event. Parents should find out the cell phone policy for their children’s schools because that would change how students get information. 

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Created: 01 July 2024

July 1, 2024

More Heat on the Way, So Stay Cool

SPRINGFIELD – Heat and humidity started early this summer and the long hot days makes it more important that you stay cool. July is National Extreme Heat Safety Month and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) has some easy tips to keep you cool all summer long.

“Across the U.S. in 2023, we have seen more than 2,300 deaths attributed to heat related illness,” said IEMA-OHS Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Illinois has already experienced several days of extreme heat with more on the way.”

Extreme heat is defined as two to three days of heat and humidity with successive 90+ degree days. Urban areas are more at risk. Take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses:
•  Hydrate with water, not caffeinated or alcoholic beverages
•  Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, and lightweight clothing
•  Avoid strenuous activity during mid-day
•  Indoors, use awnings or curtains to deflect the sun
•  Fans will move air around, but does not lower your temperature
•  Use air conditioning inside your home or visit a store or local mall
•  Know your local cooling centers in Illinois
•  Never leave children or pets in a vehicle
•  Get trained in first aid to help those with heat illness
•  Check on neighbors and elderly who may be more vulnerable to extreme heat
•  Learn the differences between a heat watch vs heat warning (NWS)

These tips will keep you stay safe and help others too. More tips on extreme heat safety can be found here: https://ready.illinois.gov/hazards/extremetempshot.html

Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS):
Ready.Illinois.gov

IEMA Social Media: X/Twitter | Meta/Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube
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Created: 10 June 2024

• Non-perishable food and favorite pet treats
• Water and water bowls
• Waste bags, cat litter and pan
• Blanket/bedding and favorite pet toys Leashes, harnesses, or carriers Pet medications and a first-aid kit
• Copies of medical records including vaccination records and pet identification.