With so many of our everyday items running on lithium-ion batteries, this year’s Fire Prevention Week (October 4-10) focused on the daily charging habits we can take to stay safe.
Themed “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging is a Superpower”, the Kingsville Fire Department held an educational open house on October 7 to remind the public about how they can stay safe with their electronic devices.
“It’s becoming a growing concern,” said Kingsville Fire Department Captain Steve Toplass of the South Station on Division Road North with regard to the unsafe charging of phones, laptops and e-scooters.
He added, “Using aftermarket products or charging on soft surfaces has become a problem locally.”
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries found in many devices can become damaged if charged the wrong way, resulting in possible overheating that may start a fire or a possible explosion.
Safe use with these batteries includes only using manufacturer-approved cords and chargers that come with the device, charging devices on hard surfaces only, unplugging your device when it is fully charged, charging larger items outside and away from exits, and to stop using any devices that feel extremely hot, start to swell, smoke or have a strange smell.
