Firefighters warn of battery dangers during fire awareness week

This is Fire Prevention awareness week and Columbus firefighters are offering tips to protect you from fire dangers caused by batteries and electronic devices.

According to the Columbus Fire Department, the theme of this year’s Fire Prevention week is “Charge into Fire Safety” and is focused on fire dangers from battery powered devices.

The fire department says that you should always use the charging cord that came with your device and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If you need a new charger, you should buy one from the original manufacturer. You should always charge devices on a hard surface, and not under your pillow, in your bed or on the couch. And when you device is fully charged, you should unplug it to reduce the risk of overcharging.

You should also be alert to the dangers of disposing of rechargeable batteries. Firefighters say that you should not put those batteries into your regular trash or recycling. Instead, you should take them to a designated collection location.

Fire Prevention Week was started in 1922 and is scheduled around October 9th, the day of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871.