During Fire Prevention Week 2025 (Oct. 5 – Oct. 11), the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) are promoting lithium-ion battery safety to highlight the importance of safely buying, charging, and recycling lithium-ion batteries.
This year’s campaign is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home,” which educates consumers about the safe usage of lithium-ion batteries.
Most of the electronics we use in our homes every day — smartphones, tablets, power and lawn tools, laptops, headphones, and toys, to name just a few — are powered by lithium-ion batteries. In fact, most everything that’s rechargeable uses these batteries. If not used correctly or if damaged, lithium-ion batteries can overheat, start a fire, or even explode.
“Lithium-ion batteries are powerful, convenient, and they can be found in a variety of household devices and appliances,” said State Fire Marshal and TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign helps people understand the importance of using these batteries correctly to prevent fires in the home and to follow the Buy, Charge, and Recycle Safely approach.”
To reduce these risks, the SFMO reminds consumers of the following easy-to-remember tips.
- 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 the device 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 call2recycle.org to find a recycling spot near you.
In the event of a home fire, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying by more than 60 percent, according to the NFPA. Tragically, the majority of civilian home fire deaths continue to occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms.
To help save lives in Tennessee, the SFMO launched the “Get Alarmed, Tennessee!” free smoke alarm program in 2012. To date, the lives of over 500 Tennesseans have been saved by alerts from smoke alarms installed by “Get Alarmed” volunteers.
“By ensuring your home has working smoke alarms, you can help protect the lives of your family and the lives of firefighters who risk their health and safety every time they respond to an emergency,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Mike Bell.
Need working smoke alarms? Contact your local fire department to request them or you can request alarms directly through the website.
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, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) are promoting lithium-ion battery safety to highlight the importance of safely buying, charging, and recycling lithium-ion batteries. ){kind=link}