Post-Hurricane Ian, our Halloween may look a little different this year. But our Cape Coral community is resilient! We don’t want our residents and visitors to miss out on Halloween festivities, but we want to remind everyone to stay safe and be mindful of debris, standing water, and other hazards.

We hope the following tips help you and your family celebrate Halloween safely.

As Cape Coral continues to recover from Hurricane Ian, debris remains in certain areas. Debris can be dangerous, especially in the dark.

• Watch where you are walking. Debris can be a tripping hazard.
• Do not touch debris! Debris is hazardous and has been subjected to harmful bacteria.
• Debris piles may limit the vision of pedestrians and drivers. Be extra cautious when walking or driving in impacted areas.

Always be alert when trick-or-treating and provide adult supervision.

• Walk on the sidewalk or a path. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
• If a child is mature enough to be without supervision, tell them to stay in familiar areas and trick-or-treat in groups.
• Walk safely. Cross the street at crosswalks or traffic signals. Always look both ways!
• Put electronic devices down. Keep your head up and your eyes on children at all times.

Make sure you are always visible, especially in the dark.

• Wear light colors and decorate costumes with reflective tape or stickers.
• Carry a flashlight or use glow sticks.
• Costume masks can obstruct vision. Choose face paint and make-up when possible.
• Make sure costumes are the right size and fit properly to avoid trips and falls.

Driving on Halloween can have risks, especially in residential areas. 

• Take extra time to look for children in intersections, medians, and on curbs.
• Slow down! Children are excited on Halloween and may move in unpredictable ways.
• Enter and exit driveways carefully and slowly.
• Avoid driving during popular trick-or-treating times.

Beware of standing water.

• Even though only a month has passed since Hurricane Ian impacted our region, some areas may still have standing water, which should be avoided.
• Standing water could contain various forms of waste, debris, and animals. 
• Exposure to hazardous standing water could lead to rashes, wound infections, tetanus, or gastrointestinal illness.
• Due to the amount of standing water in the area, there may also be an increased amount of mosquitoes.

Now, more than ever, we must continue to embrace each other and do what we can to bring ourselves and our loved ones a sense of normalcy.

Together, we can all celebrate Halloween safely! #CapeCoralTogether