Fire Prevention Week has begun and if you want to avoid starting a fire, make sure to charge your devices safely.
“There’s a lot of energy stored in a small amount of space, and what happens when that energy escapes, it can overheat, your device can start on fire or it can even explode if the device is overcharged or damaged,” Perth East & West Perth Fire Department Public Educator Jess Jorrtisma told MyStratfordNow.
Jorritsma said the theme this year is ‘charge into fire safety’.
Firefighters are offering tips on how to charge devices with lithium-ion batteries.
Devices include e-bikes, vehicles, scooters, phones, laptops, smartwatches and tooth-brushes.
Fire Prevention Officer Shay Herrett said you should use a charger that comes with the product and charge the device on a hard surface.
“We don’t want to put them on the couch or leave them in the hot sun, I know sometimes when I’m charging my phone and it is in the sun, I get a warning message and my phone shuts off and stops charging because it is overheating.”
Other tips include charging power tools outside of a building or in a garage that isn’t attached to your home, and taking lithium-ion batteries to hazardous waste stations.
