10/13/2026
🔥🚒 FIRE PREVENTION 2026: CHARGE INTO FIRE SAFETY! 🔋⚡
This year’s theme is “Safe Charging Is a Superpower!” — and it’s an important message for families everywhere.
Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are in more things than you might realize: cell phones, tablets, laptops, gaming systems, power tools, e-bikes, scooters, and even many children’s toys. While these batteries make our lives easier, when damaged, improperly charged, or used incorrectly, they can cause serious fires that spread quickly and are difficult to extinguish.
⚠️ Here are a few important safety reminders for your family:
🔌 Use the right charger. Use the charger supplied with your device or one approved by the manufacturer.
🛏️ Never charge devices on beds, under pillows, or beneath blankets. Charge on a hard, flat surface away from anything that can easily catch fire.
👀 Keep an eye on charging devices. Avoid charging while sleeping or when nobody is around to notice a problem. Unplug devices when charging is complete, following the manufacturer's instructions.
🔥 Know the warning signs. Excessive heat, swelling, leaking, unusual odors, hissing, or smoke can indicate a battery problem. Stop using a device if it shows signs of damage or malfunction. If a battery is smoking, hissing, or burning, get everyone away, get outside, and call 911. Never handle or attempt to move a smoking battery.
🔋 Dispose of batteries properly. Never put loose lithium-ion batteries in household trash or curbside recycling. Follow local battery recycling and disposal guidelines.
👨🚒 Fire prevention is about more than batteries! Working smoke alarms, knowing two ways out of your home, having a family escape plan, and remembering to GET OUT, STAY OUT, AND CALL 911 are all essential parts of keeping your family safe.
This year for Fire Prevention Week, we brought these important lessons to our local school, talking with students about fire safety, answering questions, and demonstrating what a firefighter looks and sounds like in full protective gear. We want kids to know that if they ever encounter a firefighter in an emergency, they should never hide from us!
Please take a few minutes this week to check your charging habits, inspect your devices, and talk with your children about battery safety.
Stay safe, look out for one another, and thank you for supporting your local fire department! ❤️🚒
