Make it a Fire Free Halloween

Last year we used tiny flashlights to light up our jack-0-lanterns. I plan on doing the same thing this year, but I doubt all my neighbors will. There are bound to be open flames near the front doors of many of the homes. It's a Halloween tradition. There is a recipe at the end of this story that will make your little ones' costumes more flame resistant. I need to check our costumes to make sure they are flame retardant. We got them at a Halloween store. You would think that would be mandatory, but it isn't. Do you light candles on Halloween? Are your kids' costumes flame resistant?

FROM NBC: WITH GHOSTS AND GOBLINS HEADED TO YOUR DOOR SOON, IT'S TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW TO KEEP THE SPOOKY HOLIDAY SAFE. FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS ALIKE, HALLOWEEN IS A TIME OF YEAR TO DON COSTUMES AND BECOME SOMEONE OR SOMETHING ELSE FOR A NIGHT. WHILE DRESSING UP IS FUN, IT CAN ALSO BE A FIRE HAZARD.

HALLOWEEN COSTUMES LOOK HARMLESS. A CUTE DEVIL, A LOVELY PRINCESS, A SCARY EVIL-EYE, BUT IT'S THE COMBINATION OF COSTUMES AND OPEN FLAMES WHERE THE TROUBLE CAN START. THE US CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION SAYS COSTUMES SHOULD BE FLAME RESISTANT.

THAT'S JUST WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE TRIED TO LIGHT THIS EVIL EYE SKULL COSTUME. EVERYWHERE WE TOUCHED IT WITH FLAME, WHEN THE FLAME WAS PULLED AWAY, THE FIRE WENT OUT. BUT EVIL EYE WAS THE EXCEPTION IN OUR EXPERIMENT, LOOK WHAT HAPPENED WHEN WE TOUCHED THE LIL DEVIL COSTUME WITH A FLAME, WITHIN ONE MINUTE THE COSTUME WAS DESTROYED. SAME STORY WITH THE PRINCESS. DESTROYED IN LESS THAN A MINUTE.

"For children and adults, accessories like this feather boa make great Halloween costumes, but watch out." THE BOA BURNED UP IN 90 SECONDS. THIS HULA SKIRT, GONE IN 60 SECONDS. "One of the most popular items for making a homemade costume, a 100% cotton sheet, also one of the most dangerous." WITHIN 45 SECONDS, YOUR GHOST COSTUME WOULD BE A BALL OF FLAMES.

IF YOU WANT TO REDUCE THE RISK OF YOUR COSTUME GOING UP IN FLAMES, THE WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER HAS A RECIPE THAT CAN MAKE YOUR COSTUME MORE FIRE RESISTANT. MIX FOUR OUNCES OF BORIC ACID WITH 9 OUNCES OF BORAX. DISSOLVE IN A GALLON OF WARM WATER. SOAK THE COSTUME AND LET IT DRIP DRY.

FOR HOMEOWNERS, ONE MEASURE OF PRECAUTION, KEEP LIGHTED JACKOLANTERNS OUT OF THE PATH OF TRICK OR TREATERS. AND WHILE A LIGHTED JACK O' LANTERN IS THE SYMBOL OF HALLOWEEN, DON'T PLACE THEM WHERE LITTLE GHOULS AND GOBLINS ARE PROWLING. AN EVEN BETTER IDEA IS TO USE A TINY FLASHLIGHT TO ILLUMINATE CARVED PUMPKINS.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Are you having an acne emergency? Soderstrom Skin Institute can help. We treat acne seriously and in most cases will see you within a week. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Call 309-674-SKIN and make your appointment today.