Keeping Kids Safe on Halloween
Safety tips provided by Safe Kids Kansas

Halloween is an exciting holiday for children, but they can be vulnerable to injury on this night. To ensure trick-or-treaters stay safe, Safe Kids recommends that children:

• Always trick-or-treat with an adult.
• Only trick-or-treat in familiar areas that are well lit.
• Cross streets at corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks.
• Look left, right and left again when crossing; always walk, don't run, when crossing streets.
• Make eye contact with drivers and watch for cars that are turning or backing up.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths; if there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• Never dart out into the street or cross in between parked cars.
• Wear light-colored, flame-retardant, costumes decorated with retro-reflective tape or stickers.
• Wear well-fitting, sturdy shoes to prevent trips and falls.
• Carry a flashlight or glow stick to increase visibility to drivers.
• Wear face paint and makeup; a mask can restrict a child's vision.

Driving Safely on Halloween:
Drivers need to do their part to keep trick-or-treaters safe from harm. Motorists are reminded to be extra careful this Halloween and it is recommended that drivers:

• Be especially alert in residential neighborhoods.
• Drive more slowly and anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic on and near the road.
• Be sure to drive with your full headlights on so you can spot children from greater distances.
• Take extra time to actively look for kids at intersections, on medians and on curbs.
• Remember that costumes can limit children’s visibility and they may not be able to see your vehicle.
• Enter and exit driveways and alleys slowly and carefully.
• Remember that children are excited on this night and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Remember that popular trick-or-treating hours are during the typical rush-hour period, between 5:30 - 9:30PM.
• Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and pedestrians.

The City of Merriam wishes you a safe and happy Halloween!

A home fire impacts the life of an American family every 85 seconds. By providing an early warning and critical extra seconds to escape, smoke alarms cut in half your family’s risk of dying in a home fire — but only if they work.

So, when you turn your clocks back on November 2, also make a lifesaving change in your household — change the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. This simple habit takes just a moment, but is the best defense your family has against the devastating effects of a home fire.

This reminder to Change Your Clock Change Your Battery® comes from the Merriam Fire Department, Energizer®batteries, and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

The City of Merriam, in conjunction with Bill Fair and Company, will be selling two commercial lots located along Antioch Road (at the I-35 Exit 230) by public auction on Friday, November 7, 2008.

These are highly visible lots with a special I-1 zoning district granted by the City of Merriam, suitable for many different types of industrial, commercial and retail uses.

Auction will be held on site at 11:00 a.m.  For additional information including property descriptions, answers to common questions, terms of sale, acceptable use and zoning regulations, visit http://www.billfair.com/auction_detail.php?ID=393226.