Halloween Fun and Safety

SMOKEY BEAR PUMPKIN CARVING STENCIL (above in yellow)

DIRECTIONS:

          OPTION #1

1.                 CUT OUT THE “BLACK PIECES” FROM THE SHEET, USING AN X-ACTO KNIFE OR SIMILAR TOOL.

2.                 TAPE STENCIL SHEET ONTO PUMPKIN.

3.                 USE A FINE – LINE MARKER AND DRAW THE IMAGE ‘THROUGH THE HOLES” ONTO THE PUMPKIN.

4.                 CUT THESE PIECES AWAY FROM THE PUMPKIN.

OPTION #2

1.                 TAPE THE STENCIL ONTO THE PUMPKIN.

2.                 USING A PIN OR OTHER SHARP TIPED TOOL “PIN-PRICK” THE EDGE OF ALL THE BLACK PORTIONS OF THE STENCIL.

3.                 REMOVE THE STENCIL, AND CONNECT THE DOTS/PIN-PRICKS WITH A MARKER.

4.                 CUT THESE PIECES AWAY FROM THE PUMPKIN.

OPTION #3  Works well on a real or artificial pumpkin

1.           TRACE THE IMAGE AS OUTLINED IN OPTION #2

2.          INSTEAD OF CUTTING THE SECTIONS COMPLETELY OUT, YOU    

               CAN CUT (OR “DIG OUT”) USING A KNIFE OR DERMEL TOOL   ABOUT ½

                THE THICKNESS OF THE PUMPKIN RIND.

3.          THIS WILL GLOW AND SHOW UP NICELY WHEN LIT FROM THE INSIDE

      WITH A CANDLE OR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

            OPTION #4

1.     JUST PAINT THE IMAGE ONTO THE PUMPKIN.

Smokey would love to see a picture of you with your Smokey-O-Lantern. You can send them to fred.turck@dof.virginia.gov   we may post some to our web site for others to enjoy.

           

PLEASE HAVE A  HAPPY AND SAFE   HALLOWEEN

Below is a coloring sheet especially made for you by Smokey. Hope you enjoy!

You can right click on it an send to a printer or save/copy into a word document or other program. Make sure your setup to print in landscape.

Halloween
Setting fires on Halloween is not a prank. It is a very serious act that endangers peoples homes, their lives, and costs your community.
The message is simple. Setting fires is a criminal act. Once the fire has been set, the fire takes over.  Your neighbors and their property may not have been the intended target, but they might end up being the victims.
Our forests are dry, even with some recent rains, they are still dry and fires can spread rapidly. Historically, setting fires around Halloween has been common. You may think it is just a prank or a game. IT’S NOT ! It’s a crime against your neighbors.
Fire starters can be held liable for the full amount of all expenses incurred in fighting the wildfire AND all property damages. This could be hundreds, thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.


Arson

Virginia’s prevention efforts have been very successful for all of the causes of fire except arson.  It all depends on the weather and the local conditions, Arson and Debris burning are our 2 top causes of wildfires. In some places Arson is the top cause, in others it’s Debris burning.  Debris fires are significant and continual educational efforts are needed to reduce their numbers.  When the public is made aware of the weather and fuel conditions, there is a significant decrease in the number of debris fires.  Records support a high incidence of debris fires during low to moderate fire conditions.  In very high to extreme conditions, the number of debris fires is minimal.  Raising the level of awareness does work with the public.  Debris fires generally start in accessible areas of someone’s property.  There is no landowner intent to have an escaped fire.  Escaped debris fires are generally reported to the local volunteer fire department or fire agency in a timely manner.  The community often pitches in to help for the safety and protection of their neighbors.

Arson fires, on the other hand, are often started in remote areas, along back roads or trails, and in multiple groupings.  Detection and reporting of the fires is delayed, resulting in larger fires upon initial attack.  The larger fires, and sheer number of starts, demands commitment of available suppression resources.  This creates opportunity for the arsonist to set other fires undetected with little fear or risk of being caught by the fire agencies.  There is no ownership taken in the fire start, therefore the public is less likely to report the fire.  Residents are reluctant to report suspicious activity for fear of reprisal or out of apathy.

·         Help your local fire department and officials by staying alert and reporting unsafe or illegal activities.

Halloween  Pet Safety Tips:

There is a lot of info out there on how to keep all your little ghosts and gobblins safe but what about about your pets safety??

Halloween is a fun and exciting holiday for people, but it can be rather scary for your pet. Here are some tips to keep your pet safe this Halloween:

1. Keep all candy out of reach of your pet. The candy is for trick-or-treaters,

not for your pet. The chocolate and wrappers can be very dangerous if ingested.

2. We all know how cute pet costumes are, but they can pose a threat to

your animal friend. Being dressed up can cause a great amount of stress

on your pet. Also, many costumes contain rubber bands and other pieces

that can be chewed off and create a hazard. If you do decide to dress

your pet up, make sure that it doesn't constrain her movement, hearing

or ability to breathe.

3. If you plan on having a party or get-together at your house, make sure to

put your pet up in a safe place unless he/she is a very social animal. Too

many strangers can be a very scary and stressful environment for your

pet.

4. During peak trick-or-treating time, you should also make sure your pet is

put up at home in a safe place. You should not bring your pet with you to

trick-or-treat and if you are staying at home, you do not want to run the

risk of your pet slipping out the front door when answering the doorbell.

5. Another important item to consider is to make sure your pet has an ID

tag or microchip in place. In the event that he/she does escape or get

lost, an ID increases the chance that your pet will be returned to you (this

includes cats too!).

6. Some other Halloween risk factors are pumpkins and decorations. If you

have a jack-o-lantern, make sure it is in a place where your pet cannot

get to it. The candle inside and the pumpkin itself can be dangerous for

your pet. Pets can easily knock over a lit candle and cause a fire, curious kittens run the risk of getting burned, and if eaten, the pumpkin may cause intestinal blockage. Keep decorations that pets could chew on, like streamers and fake spider webs and wires and cords from electric decorations out of reach. If pets chomp on Halloween decorations they could choke or become ill and, if they chew on electrical cords, they risk a potentially deadly electrical shock. Pets could also become tangled and injured by dangling cords or decorations. We do hope you all have a fun Halloween, but just remember to keep your beloved pet in mind.

If your pet has ingested something potentially harmful, please call 800-213-6680 immediately! Time is a critical factor with potential poisonings. Please be aware that due to the urgency of medical recommendations concerning poisonings and the fact that email is not the optimal venue for providing those recommendations, it is advised that you contact Pet Poison Helpline directly by phone. This telephone-based consultation service is available 24/7.Pet Poison Helpline

General information: 1-866-823-1588
Pet Poison Helpline:  1-800-213-6680

Please have a SAFE and ENJOYABLE Halloween!