Ridgewood Firefighters Sound the Alarm: Everything from Your Smartphone to Your E-Bike is a Potential Fire Risk During #FireSafetyWeek
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood, NJ – Every year, Ridgewood Professional Firefighters FMBA Local 47 dedicates a week to promoting critical public safety messages. This year, the focus during #FireSafetyWeek couldn’t be more relevant to modern life: Lithium-Ion Battery Safety and Awareness.
While these powerful, compact batteries enable our digital world, their increasing prevalence—and particularly the proliferation of lower-quality, unregulated charging products—is leading to a significant spike in dangerous fires across the nation.
The Silent Threat in Your Home
Lithium-ion batteries are not a new invention, but they are now integrated into nearly every aspect of our daily lives. From your smart toothbrush to your robotic vacuum, these batteries power dozens of common household items.
A quick search reveals a staggering list of everyday items that pose a potential risk if improperly manufactured, damaged, or charged:
- Personal Devices: Smartphones, laptops, tablets, smartwatches, wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, and digital cameras.
- Household Tools & Appliances: Cordless drills, cordless vacuum cleaners, electric toothbrushes, and cordless screwdrivers.
- Recreational Items: Power banks, e-cigarettes/vapes, drones, rechargeable bike lights, and handheld gaming consoles.
The problem, according to safety experts, is simple: more batteries are being produced, and not always by the most reliable companies. This has resulted in a marked increase in fires that ignite rapidly and are incredibly difficult to extinguish.
Essential Steps to Protect Your Family
The Ridgewood Firefighters urge residents to take simple, proactive steps to increase safety around these ubiquitous power sources:
- Use Certified Chargers: Only use the original charger or a certified, branded replacement charger specifically designed for your device. Avoid cheap, unbranded charging blocks and cables.
- Inspect for Damage: Stop using any battery that is swollen, deformed, smoking, or overheating. This is a critical sign of internal failure.
- Charge Safely: Do not charge devices under your pillow or on flammable surfaces like beds or couches. Charge them on hard, non-flammable surfaces like a table or counter.
- Unplug When Done: Do not leave batteries charging unattended or overnight. Unplug devices as soon as they reach 100%.
Awareness is the first step toward safety. By understanding the risk and following these simple guidelines, we can all work together to prevent these devastating fires and keep the Ridgewood community safe.
