Happy Halloween!!!

From the candy to the different costume, Halloween is not only fun for the children but for parents as well. To help make this year’s festivities a trick-free treat by following these simple safety tips from the Center for Disease Control.
S Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible
A Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups of with a trusted adult
F Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you
E Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.

H Hold a flashlight or glow stick while tick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
A Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent possible skin and eye irritation
L Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks whenever possible
L Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses
O Only walk on sidewalks whenever possible, or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe
W Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls
E Eat only factor-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats made by strangers
E Enter homes only if you’re with a trusted adult. Only visit well-lit houses and NEVER accept rides from strangers
N Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes

It is important to remember that event though children need to safe during the Halloween festivities, adults need to remain safe as well. Here are some safety tips for the night adventures.
• Slow down and be especially alert in residential neighborhoods. Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Take extra time to look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Eliminate any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.
• Drive slowly, anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on earlier in the day to spot children from greater distances.
• Popular trick-or-treating hours are 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. so be especially alert for kids during those hours.

Below are some fun activities for the kids!

Coloring Pages

Mazes and Word Searches

Food Safety Time!

With holiday parties’ right around the corner, especially Halloween being tomorrow, we decided to provide the community with a few basic food safety tips.  These tips are to ensure that you and your guests have a wonderful time.

WASH: wash not only your hands but any surface that will come in contact with food. You should wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling any food.  Rinse fruits and vegetables thoroughly to remove any surface dirt.  Do NOT rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking in order to avoid spreading bacteria to areas around the sink and countertops

SEPARATE:  When shopping in the store, storing food in the refrigerator at home, or preparing meals, keep foods that won’t be cooked separate from raw eggs, meat, poultry or seafood. Consider using two different cutting boards, one for fruits and vegetables and the other for your meat/seafood products. Do NOT put cooked meat or other food that is ready to eat on an unwashed plate that has held any raw eggs, meat, poultry, seafood, or their juices.

COOK:  You should always use a food thermometer when making meals to ensure that everything is cooked to a safe internal temperature.  The safe zone for cooked food is above 165°F.   Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. When making your own eggnog or other recipe calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg products, or powdered egg whites.

CHILL:  Refrigerate leftovers and takeout foods—and any type of food that should be refrigerated, including pie—within two hours. When thawing frozen food remember that you should do it in a safe manner.  This means that you thaw frozen food in the refrigerator, under cold running water, or in the microwave—NEVER at room temperature (sitting on the counter). Cook food thawed in cold water or in the microwave immediately. Allow enough time to properly thaw food. Don’t taste food that looks or smells questionable. When in doubt, throw it out!

Hopefully these tips will provide you with enough knowledge to have a safe and wonderful holiday season this year!

sources: foodsafety.gov      fsis.usda.gov

Tongue print?

Don’t stick out your tongue if you want to hide your identity.  Similar to fingerprints, everyone also has a unique tongue print.

Flu Shot Reminder!

Flu season is quickly approaching and now is the time to take the opportunity to talk to your physician about getting a flu shot.  The vaccination is the best defense against combating the flu season.  Here at the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department we want our community to remain healthy during this flu season in order to enjoy daily activities and holidays.