This week is National Fire Prevention Week.
It’s a yearly designation to help raise awareness about fire safety ahead of the home fire season.
Ryan Erickson is the Fargo Fire Marshal. He says this year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety,” which is all about lithium ion batteries. He says these batteries are in lots of things these days, from cell phones to e-bikes, electric cars, power tools and laptops. He says they are by and large safe, but can cause problems if used or charged incorrectly.
"If you're going to buy lithium batteries, make sure you're buying listed batteries - so properly listed batteries, not some black market, home-built battery. If you're charging them, keep them on a flat surface. Don't be burying them under blankets or in your bed, under your pillow - it just builds up heat, and causes a problem. If you're buying cables, or switching out the way you're charging, use the manufacturers cables and use their devices to charge, because that's how it knows how much to charge it, and when to stop it."
Erickson says another issue is that the batteries have everything they need to start a fire; they have the energy in the battery, as well as a flammable liquid. If they are damaged, it can spark and burn.
Kimberly Vosseteig is Executive Director of the Eastern North Dakota Northwestern Minnesota chapter of the American Red Cross. She says this time of year is also a good time to check the batteries in smoke alarms, which can save lives in the event of home fires.