As Fire Prevention Week comes to a close, Sparta Fire Chief Kevin Powers said lithium ion batteries pose a fire risk for residents.
Powers said the “Charge into Safety” campaign focuses on the rechargeable batteries found in common household items like power tools, e-bikes, and children’s toys.
“We just want to take it off the charging unit,” Powers said. “We don’t want to leave those plugged in. We want them on flat surfaces because these batteries are trending where they’re causing a lot of fires in homes lately because now they’re in a lot of our kids’ toys and a lot of our items that we use on a daily basis.”
Powers said overcharging can lead to a dangerous condition known as thermal runaway. He said the batteries must be charged on level surfaces to prevent bad connections that can spark a fire.
“And these batteries just aren’t put out traditionally by just water,” Powers said. “They burn hotter and they take a lot more water to extinguish. And the problem is they catch on other combustibles near them quickly because of their heat release that they have on those.”
Powers said the intensity of these fires makes early detection and home maintenance critical. He said residents should schedule maintenance for heating units and furnaces before the change of seasons to prevent an uptick in fires when the heat is first turned on.
“Most people go about your daily business, myself included, like we don’t think about having a fire in your home,” Powers said. “But this Fire Prevention Week is really making awareness of hazards that could be in your home as far as that could cause fire.”
Powers said families should also verify the age of their smoke alarms because the devices have a 10-year lifespan. He said even hardwired detectors require battery backups to remain functional during power outages.
“I’ve spent 30 years as a first responder and I have never been on a fire where fatality where there was a working smoke detector,” Powers said. “So those are huge in saving lives. Early indication from a working smoke alarm has been proven over and over again it does save lives.”
Powers said families should physically practice an escape plan to build muscle memory for an emergency. He said having a pre-planned meeting destination allows firefighters to know everyone is accounted for, which prevents crews from having to enter a burning building in rescue mode.
