Sparkler and firework tips to help keep you and your family safe this Halloween

Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.

I remember one Halloween when one of my younger cousins got hold of a banger for another child in the neighbourhood unbeknownst to his mother. He attempted to throw it but it went off just before he let go. He was rushed to the hospital with severe burns but luckily it hadn't taken off his fingers. Accidents are common around Halloween so it's always good to talk to your child about how to stay safe around sparklers and fireworks. Sparklers and firework the displays can be great fun but they still have to be treated with a lot of respect. While items like sparklers may seem harmless the core can become as hot as a blow torch. For this reason it's important for your child to only handle a sparkler which is held up straight and for a group of children with sparklers not to stand close together. I know I have been guilty myself of trying to write my name by shaking my sparkler in the air but firefighters recommend that children not shake or twirl sparklers around as the sparks could flick into their eyes or the faces of others. If you're attending a bon fire this year make sure that it is being over seen by one of the emergency services and is safe. While most of us grew up with unregulated bon fires they are incredibly unsafe as they are often over loaded to the point of falling over or have unsafe materials used to make them which could give off toxic fumes or even explode. Halloween costumes are often made from flammable materials so it's important to keep yourself and your child at a safe distance from the flames. Only a couple of years ago presenter Claudia Winkleman discovered just how quickly Halloween festivities can turn into a nightmare when he daughter's costume caught fire;

"She went up is the only way I know how to describe it – it was a spark and she screamed out for me. It was like those horrific birthday candles that you blow out and they come back. It was really fast, it was fast, it wasn’t fire like I’d seen."

Even though fireworks are illegal in Ireland they can always be found on Halloween night. Two years ago I was attending a bon fire with my son and what seemed like a safe fire work display. Unfortunately not everyone operating the fireworks cared about the safety of the children attending the bon fire and began shooting of the fire works at angles directly into the crowd. My son narrowly missed being hit by one and after that the council decided that the bon fire could no longer be held at Halloween. Fireworks are extremely dangerous when not handled properly so like with bon fires only attend a firework display if it is an official one being held by your local council.