October is Fire Prevention Month

SALISBURY, Md. — October is Fire Prevention Month, and this year local fire departments want you to “charge into fire safety” by keeping an eye on lithium-ion batteries in your home and elsewhere.

Lithium-ion batteries are used in devices often found in homes, such as cellphones, laptops, tablets, e-cigarettes, and electric scooters and bikes. If used or stored improperly, these batteries could pose a fire hazard in your home.

Fire Chief Rob Frampton of the Salisbury Fire Department advises residents to avoid leaving charging devices unattended or charging for long periods of time, even if they are designed to shut off automatically.

“What you get with lithium-ion batteries is called thermal runaway, which is where it keeps spiraling. They are not responsive to water. The heat just keeps building upon itself,” Frampton said.

Officials urge residents to purchase only safety-certified chargers sold by authorized sellers.

Water will not put out sparks from a lithium-ion battery — residents who encounter an overheating or exploding battery should call 911 and unplug the device if it can be done safely.