RICHMOND, Va. — Public safety officials from Chesterfield and Henrico counties are offering safety tips to prevent emergencies during Fire Prevention Week, which runs from October 5 through 11.
The theme this year is “Charge Into Fire Safety - Lithium-ion Batteries in Your Home.”
The campaign stresses how important it is to buy, charge, and recycle safely when it comes to these potential fire hazards.
“These batteries are prone to a fire if you damage them, overcharge them, so be really careful, especially if you have the E-bikes, the E-scooters. But also they're in our computers and our cell phones,” said Henrico Fire and EMS Battalion Chief Doug Reynolds.
Reynolds said fires caused by lithium-ion batteries are more common in apartments located in more densely-populated areas like New York City, yet they pose a risk locally too.
“Even here in Henrico County, last year we had two trash truck fires that were damaged due to these batteries being thrown away. Once it gets compacted and gets damaged, they can get that thermal runaway and they can cause an issue,” Chief Reynolds added.
Fire Prevention Week is observed each year during the week of October 9 in commemoration of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 that caused devastating damage.
Ever since, officials like Chesterfield Deputy Fire Marshal Capt. Joe Harvey have urged families to have working smoke detectors and not to leave cooking unattended, the number one cause of fires in Chesterfield and Henrico.
“It's a simple little saying, but we always say, ‘Stand by your pan,'" said Capt. Harvey. “Just stay with your cooking while you're cooking. Don't be preoccupied with a phone call or something going on that takes your attention away from what you're doing there in the kitchen.”
Reynolds recommended putting a large wooden spoon in your apron or pocket to remind you that you’re cooking on the stove.
Heating devices like space heaters are also contributors to fires each year while the temperatures drop and families look to save money.
“It's so expensive, heating oil. If it's at $3.50 a gallon, and you have a 200-gallon tank, that's $700. That's a lot of money to come up with at one time,” Reynolds said.
Do not use extension cords to power a space heater and keep all objects at least a yard away from the heater.
This is also a good time for your family to discuss a pre-planned meeting location in front of your home in the event of a fire. Let your children draw up a map of your home and explore ways to escape your house in the event of a fire, day or night.
“The big thing to remember about having a fire in your home, you got about two minutes from the time a fire starts to where it's too big to safely get out. Anybody who's been involved in a fire, they'll all tell you it happened so quick,” Reynolds said.
Fire departments in Central Virginia offer free smoke detector installation for individuals and families who cannot afford to purchase one. Contact your area’s non-emergency phone number to request a detector.
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