Oct. 5-11 is Fire Prevention Week

The annual Fire Prevention Week was Oct. 5-11 this year, with first responders from across Colbert County holding a parade and community event on the courthouse lawn on Oct. 9.

This year’s focus is on lithium-ion electrical chargers and how they can cause issues in the home.

“We are seeing a little bit of a rise in things like cellphone chargers catching fire,” said Tuscumbia Fire Chief J.T. Fox. “We are seeing some electrical vehicle issues here and there. This week is geared more towards the children. We want to give them the knowledge they need and teach them ways of dealing with all this.”

Fox said young children who are taught about fire safety come in handy when it comes to helping protect homes.

“They are really attentive at younger ages, and they may see some things we don’t,” he said. “Mom might accidentally leave the stove on, but we’ve had kids tell us they kept mommy from burning the house down. Teaching them while they are young is important. We try to make it as fun as we can.”

The National Fire Prevention Association has three main tips this year when it comes to lithium-ion chargers and safety:

• Buy only listed products. When buying a product that uses a lithium-ion battery, look for a safety certification mark such as UL, ETL, or CSA. This means it meets important safety standards.
• Charge devices safely.Always use the cords that came with the product to charge. Follow the instructions from the manufacturer. Buy new chargers from the manufacturer or one that the manufacturer has approved. Charge your device on a hard surface. Don’t overcharge your device. Unplug it or remove the battery when it’s fully charged.
• Recycle batteries responsibly.Don’t throw lithium-ion batteries in the trash or regular recycling bins because they could start a fire. Recycle your device or battery at a safe battery recycling location. Visit org to find a recycling spot near you.

Though it takes longer for the colder months to cast their spell on the deep South, temperatures do eventually fall, and with them comes the rise in use of space heaters and chimneys.

According to the NFPA, heating equipment is the leading cause of fires in homes in the United States.

Municipal fire departments in the U.S. responded to an estimated annual average of 44,210 home structure fires caused by heating equipment in 2016–2020.

Heating equipment fires resulted in an estimated 480 civilian deaths; 1,370 civilian injuries; and one billion dollars in direct property damage each year from 2016 to 2020.

“The space heaters have been an issue in the past,” Fox said. “Things have gotten better, because they have had more regulations put on them. We are in the South. There are a lot of old-school ways of heating our homes. We see some fireplaces catch on fire. We do still see some space heaters, but they have become better built, and if you have a newer model, it will probably have an automatic shutoff.

“We ran some chimney fires last year. Make sure you are prepared, and if you are burning anything make sures it’s in an approved fire pit.”