Photo By Eric Pilgrim | Several little ghosts, ghouls, goblins and witches are getting ready to crash the Fort...... read more read more
FORT KNOX, Ky. — All Saints’ Eve. Allhalloween. All Hallows’ Eve. All-hallowmas. All are names for Halloween: and all focused on rolling out candy and decorations for the trick-or-treaters of all ages expected to walk Fort Knox neighborhoods Oct. 31.
All Fort Knox Safety officials ask is that those treat getters remember one thing:
“While everyone is having fun,” said Vincent Bacon, safety specialist at Fort Knox Safety, “we want them to keep safety on their minds.”
To emphasize the point, Bacon offered up several suggestions parents and kids should keep in mind before leaving the house..
“Before they leave home, they should check their costumes to ensure they fit well [so vision isn’t blocked and pants are causing tripping hazards] and are fire-resistant,” said Bacon. “They should also check their makeup on a small area of their skin to make sure they’re not allergic to it.”
Bacon recommends that parents attach reflective tape on their children as well because at least some of the trick-or-treat times — from 6 to 8 p.m. — will be cloaked in darkness, and there will be times when children will need to cross roads.
“Once they get out there, we suggest they stay in large groups so that they’re more easily seen,” said Bacon. “We ask them to also stay on the sidewalks as much as possible, exercise caution at driveways and entryways, and as always, look both ways before crossing the street.”
A local favorite for greedy ghouls to grab goods is Fort Knox’s historic district around Brooks Parade Field, specifically 4th and 5th avenues in the Clarke Community. That trail of treats includes Fort Knox Fire Station #1 on the other side of Brooks.
Bacon said those locations will provide brief moments when pedestrians and motorists must share the road. As a result, he recommends motorists keep their speeds well below the speed limits in those areas and watch closely for eager little ghosts appearing out of nowhere.
Those who plan to take advantage of the historic district hotspot should plan to wear walking shoes and calculate about an hour to hit all the houses offering candy.
“Once they get home, we ask the parents to make sure they check the kids’ candy before allowing them to eat it,” said Bacon.
Halloween got its start as a kind of safety event, according to history.com — an end-of-year Celtic festival known as Samhain. The Celts saw the harvest time as a celebrated end to the old year and coming winter as a time of change that potentially ushered in sickness and death.
On that night prior to the new year, they believed “the boundary between worlds of the living and the dead became blurred … it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.
“In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.”
The dramatic holiday for the Celts was held as a protection against bad things, according to history.com. Therefore, they donned costumes, lit huge sacred bonfires as sacrificial alters to their deities, attempted to tell the fortunes of others, and hoped for peace, health and prosperity for the coming year.
The Roman Catholic Church got involved May 13, 609 A.D., when Pope Boniface IV moved the church’s “All Saints’ Day” from May 13 to Nov. 1; a tribute to those saints who were martyred, writes history.com.
For 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has its own specific safety tips to ward off trouble during the Halloween season, said Bacon.
• Indoor haunted houses can be considered high risk due to COVID concerns
• Hayrides with folks outside of your household are also considered high risk
• Don’t wear a costume mask over a protective mask; it could hinder breathing
• Limit the number of people gathering at parties
Bacon offered haunt times for those who plan to visit other locations besides Fort Knox during Halloween. All on Oct. 31, the cities of Radcliff and Vine Grove are celebrating from 5:30 to 8 p.m., and Elizabethtown is having Halloween from 5 to 8 p.m.
Whether celebrating off post or on, trick-or-treaters of all ages should keep safety in mind as they travel around in search of treats, said Bacon.
“It’s getting darker earlier now, so be careful out there,” said Bacon. “Our kids are our future. Look out for them.”
| Date Taken: | 10.27.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.27.2021 12:52 |
| Story ID: | 408118 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 122 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Officials: Halloween at Fort Knox promises fun for trick-or-treaters, parents when safety is included, by Eric Pilgrim, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
