Stride Rite® Partners With The National Fire Protection Association To Provide Families With Resources For Halloween

LEXINGTON, Mass., Oct. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Stride Rite Children's Group (SRCG), the leader in premium children's footwear, is proud to partner with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to help families stay safe while still having fun this Halloween season.  

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While trick-or-treating, it's important for children to wear shoes that will help support their feet while walking around the neighborhood. Stride Rite offers a wide variety of comfortable shoes that will also help kids create their perfect Halloween look, from Star Wars to Captain America and beyond. Stride Rite also offers a variety of styles, from Spider-Man to Disney Princesses that incorporate unique light-up technology, which can help trick-or-treaters stand out on Halloween night and keep them safer.

The right footwear is the finishing touch to a child's costume. There are a few additional precautions that families should take to ensure a successful night. SRCG and the NFPA offer the following tips:

• Let there be Light. Provide children with flashlights to carry or use glow sticks as part of their costume.
• Make it Fun. Make trick-or-treating a "no running" game to reduce the risk of falls.
• Timing is Everything. Decide the time your children will go out trick-or-treating and what time they will return home.
• Peek before they Eat. Make a rule that children will not eat any treat until it has been brought home and examined by a grown-up.
• Costume Crashes. When choosing a costume, stay away from billowing or long trailing fabric. If your child is wearing a mask, make sure the eye holes are large enough so they can see clearly.
• Tame the Flame. Tell children to stay away from open flames. Be sure they know how to stop, drop and roll if their clothing catches fire.
• Caution with Candles. It is safest to use a flashlight or battery-operated candle in a jack-o-lantern. If you use a real candle, use extreme caution. Make sure children are watched at all times when candles are lit.

"At Stride Rite Children's Group, our goal is to create great-fitting and functional shoes that not only provide fashionable and exciting designs and characters, but also help keep kids safe," said Kiran Smith, VP of Marketing of Stride Rite Children's Group. "We are thrilled to partner with the NFPA to continue supporting families in having a safe Halloween, both via their footwear choices and other essential steps." 

"At NFPA, our mission is to help prevent fires and other hazards that can impact people's quality of life," said Judy Comoletti, NFPA's division manager of public education. "By partnering with Stride Rite Children's Group, we hope to provide families across the country with the essential safety tips they need to ensure their children stay safe this Halloween."

For more Halloween safety tips and activities, visit www.striderite.com/halloween. Stride Rite shoes are available in stores and online at www.striderite.com.

About Stride Rite Children's Group
The Stride Rite Children's Group, part of the Performance + Lifestyle Group of Wolverine World Wide, Inc. markets leading brands of premium children's footwear in the United States, including Stride Rite®, Saucony® Kids, Keds® Kids and Sperry Top-Sider® Kids, among others. For over 90 years, the company has designed and engineered footwear specifically to meet the needs of growing children. Through their sole commitment to "Kid-RITE" innovation, quality, health and style, Stride Rite Children's Group's mission is to be the first choice for premium authentic footwear brands that kids love and moms and dads trust. Visit www.striderite.com to learn more.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
The mission of the international nonprofit NFPA, established in 1896, is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. The world's leading advocate of fire prevention and an authoritative source on public safety, NFPA develops, publishes, and disseminates more than 300 consensus codes and standards intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks. NFPA membership totals more than 70,000 individuals around the world. For more information visit www.nfpa.org.

Media Contacts:
Stride Rite: Malinda Freitas, [email protected], 617-824-6231
RF|Binder: Alicia Clarke, [email protected], 212-994-7582

SOURCE Stride Rite Children's Group