
Don’t Let Fire Damage Ruin Your Halloween Celebration in Wicker Park, IL

Sam Simon
October 25, 2015Mountains of candy, racks of colorful costumes, and piles of pumpkins just waiting to be carved are easily spotted in the greater Chicago area this time of year. Like many kids just about everywhere, youngsters in Chicago’s neighborhoods of Gold Coast, Wicker Park, Magnificent Mile, and others are counting down the days until they’ll be attending fall Halloween parties, trick-or-treating, and showing off their clever, pretty, or scary costumers
While October 31st brings a lot of joy to children, teens and adults, it can also harbor a dark side: fire damage, smoke damage, and water damage. Most fires caused during Halloween weekend are started by traditional, open-flame candles that are left unattended.
If you fall victim to a tragic home or business fire this month, or anytime, it’s reassuring to know that you can turn to the restoration specialists at ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons for complete and compassionate fire damage, smoke and soot damage, or water damage remediation and restoration. Our highly trained disaster restoration specialists are armed with the newest equipment and solutions to quickly restore your home or business to its pre-loss condition. Plus, we’ll work alongside your insurance company to help minimize the financial burden that a fire damage occurrence can have on you and your family.
To protect you and your family this year from the devastating effects of fire, carefully review these Halloween fire safety tips from the National Fire Protection Safety Association:
- Provide your kids with flashlights or glow sticks to help them see where they’re walking while trick-or-treating. And, don’t forget to keep extra batteries on hand!
- Children’s masks and wigs should be not worn if they inhibit vision. Restricted vision could cause a little one to stumble over a pumpkin that’s lit with an open flame.
- All costumes should feature light-colored, fireproof material and be void of any long pieces of flowing fabric.
- Use flashlights, glow sticks, or battery-operated candles in all jack-o-lanterns.
- Decorations, including flowers, corn stalks, and crepe paper, can catch fire quickly. Keep all decorations away from open flames and other heat sources.
- Use flashlights or torchlights as alternatives to candles when decorating your walkway, front entrance, or yard. Make sure each exit is well lit and clear.
- Make sure that all smoke alarms in your home are in good working order and replace all of their batteries on November 1st, which is Daylight Saving’s Time.
- Keep a working fire extinguisher on hand in case of an emergency.
- Warn your children to stay away from all open flames.
ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons serves 18 Chicago neighborhoods, including Gold Coast, Wicker Park, and Magnificent Mile.
Contact
us immediately at 773-376-1110 for all of your fire and smoke mitigation cleanup and water damage restoration needs. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help you recover from
fire damage
in your home.
Sam Simon
Sam Simon is the co-owner of ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons, a multi-award-winning disaster restoration firm serving Lake, Cook, and DuPage counties, including Chicago and the North Shore. With over 30 years of experience managing residential and commercial restoration projects, Sam holds the distinction of IICRC Master Fire & Water Restorer, the industry’s highest certification.
He is the co-author of RESTORE: A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Home As Your Most Valuable Asset, a practical guidebook for homeowners navigating water and fire disasters. Sam also brings a background in videography, which plays a key role in shaping the company’s strategic marketing and educational outreach.
Under his leadership, along with his wife and company CEO, Nasutsa Mabwa, ServiceMaster Restoration By Simons has earned multiple honors including the 2024 Chicago Star Award, the 2021 SB100 Best of Small Business Award, the 2020 BBB Torch Award, the Stevie® Award for Business Excellence, and Skokie’s Business of the Year (Honorable Mention). The company is proudly MBE/WBE certified, reflecting its commitment to diversity and service excellence.
Subscribe
Subscribe now for expert tips, rapid-response insights, and restoration guidance delivered straight to your inbox. Whether you’re recovering from fire, water, or mold damage, stay prepared with advice from the trusted pros at ServiceMaster Restoration by Simons.
Restoration and Recovery Tips
Get Help Now
Stop fire, water, and mold damage before it spreads! Call us day or night to restore your home or business—we’ll Get You Back to Normal, FAST!™

