Oak Bay Fire Department
1703 Monterey Avenue, Oak Bay B.C. V8R 5V6 (250) 592-9121
 Email:  obfire@oakbay.ca Fax:  (250) 598-2749

News Release
Date: October 27, 2014
      OBFD file # 2014-45
For Immediate Release:

Weekly Media Release for Monday, October 13, 2014 to Sunday, October 19, 2014.
Over the past week, Oak Bay Fire Department members responded to 39 calls for assistance.
These calls for assistance include:

19 – Medical First Responder Requests
7 – Commercial / Residential Alarm Activations
5 – Public Assistance
6 – Overhead Wires Down
1 – Natural Gas Incident
1 – Chimney Fire

Stay safe and sweet on the home front
Planning to hand out treats? To make sure you're ready for trick-or-treaters, follow these tips:

• Clean up. Put away anything trick-or-treaters could trip over, such as garden hoses, toys, bikes and lawn decorations. Clear wet leaves, snow or other debris from the sidewalk.
• Turn the lights on. Replace any burned-out bulbs to ensure good visibility at the walkway and front door.
• Control your pets. Take no chances that your pet might be frightened and chase or bite a child at your door.
• Consider sugar substitutes. Instead of handing out sugar-laden treats, try stickers, fun pencils, rubber insects or colored chalk.

If you'll be driving on Halloween, watch for children who might pop out between parked cars. Be especially careful entering or leaving driveways and alleys. Extra caution can help ensure Halloween safety for everyone.

Set ground rules. If your child will be trick-or-treating without you, plan and discuss a familiar route and set a curfew. Review safety rules, including staying with the group, walking only on the sidewalk, approaching only clearly lit homes and never going inside a home or car for a treat. Have your child carry a cell phone for the evening so he or she can contact you.

Inspect the treats carefully. Don't let your child snack while he or she is trick-or-treating. Feed your child an early meal before heading out, and inspect the treats before allowing your child to dive in. Discard anything that's not sealed, has torn packaging or looks questionable. If you have young children, weed out gum, peanuts, hard candies and other choking hazards.