REGINA, Sask. – Oct. 4 to 10 has been proclaimed Fire Prevention Week in Saskatchewan, and the focus this year is on safety when charging electronic products.
The campaign is titled “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower." According to the province’s news release, it focuses on helping people understand how everyday charging habits can help prevent fires involving lithium-ion batteries.
During Fire Prevention Week, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency is encouraging residents to practice safe charging habits at home, at work and while travelling. The issue is also particularly important to airports in Canada, where some restrictions are in place when bringing lithium-ion batteries on board aircraft.
Spokesperson Kyla Antonini of the Regina International Airport says these types of batteries are “batteries we use every day, like cell phones, laptops, e-bikes, e-cigarettes, portable chargers, lots of toys have them.”
While they are common batteries used in electronic devices, the SPSA pointed to a risk of overheating due to improper charging, physical damage or the use of incompatible charging equipment.
Antonini said that “if you're charging incorrectly or they're damaged, they can be a fire hazard, absolutely.”
Some general safety tips from the Regina Airport Authority Fire Department include the following, said Antonini:
“So use the right charger for your device; charge on a hard, flat surface. Don't charge while you're sleeping or away, and unplug when you're fully charged. Watch for any warning signs like heat, smoke, or a smell, and don't put lithium batteries in regular garbage — you can just look online for a battery recycling location near you.”
The SPSA has also put out some additional safety tips including: use the charger and cord that came with the device or are approved by the manufacturer, to unplug devices once they are fully charged, and to charge larger battery-powered equipment such as e-bikes, e-scooters and power tools outdoors when possible and to also never block exits when charging.
As for travelling with items that have lithium batteries, such as a portable charger, Antonini urges passengers to “check with their airline, so go onto their website for their allowances. It can be different for each airline.”
“Another place to check would be CATSA's (Canadian Air Transport Security Authority) website. They're a pre-board screening, and they have a little search bar. You can just put in what you're wondering if you can bring it, and it'll let you know. Always pack your lithium batteries in your carry-on, and then follow the directions from the airline.”
Antonini welcomes the focus this week on lithium-ion batteries.
“I think it's very important,” she said. “At airports, we always have a lot of questions, and there are a lot of changing things about lithium batteries, and they are batteries that people use every single day. It's rare that you don't have a portable charging device or a cell phone or maybe an e-cigarette, e-scooters. All of these things, there's more and more of those, so there's more and more of these batteries that could be a fire hazard.”
The airport itself has been active in their fire prevention efforts. Recently, the airport staged their full scale emergency exercise that included involvement from EMS, Regina Fire, and various other agencies.
During Fire Prevention Week, Antonini said they also had an airport-wide fire drill to help them be prepared and have a plan in the event something does happen.
As well, the airport’s Fire Department has a table set up with some giveaways and information about fire safety around lithium-ion batteries for those travellers in the arrivals area.
