Fire Prevention Week, which runs this year from October 5–11, is the longest running public safety observance in United States history. This year for the first time, the Fire Prevention Week theme will focus on lithium-ion battery safety. Even as the technology has become ubiquitous in modern life, the general public still remains largely unaware of the significant fire safety risks that batteries can pose.

Today on the podcast we talk to Kelly Ransdell, NFPA’s director of public education, and Brian O’Connor, a technical services engineer at NFPA, about why NFPA is highlighting lithium-ion battery safety, why batteries have become such a prevalent home fire hazard, and what key safety points the public and fire educators need to know.

Links:

Visit the Fire Prevention Week website for tipsheets, campaign materials, and other resources

See additional campaign resources at fpw.org/battery

Read an NFPA Journal feature story on the emerging hazards of consumer lithium-ion batteries and how it impacts the fire service