Saturday, November 15, 2025

Sparky's On the Job in Oberlin

Fire Prevention Week 2025 may be over, but it was a nice surprise a few weeks ago to see a banner on the front of the Oberlin Fire Department station on S. Main Street featuring none other than Sparky the Fire Dog.

Here's a better look at what the banner looks like (below). The artwork, with its message of safely buying, charging and recycling Lithium-Ion batteries in your home, is very visible on the internet.

Here's the National Fire Prevention Association's Charge into Fire Safety: 3 Steps

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 call2recycle.org to find a recycling spot near you.

1 comment:

  1. A rare weekend post - thank you, Mr. Brady. And about an important topic. Many (most) people aren't aware of the danger lithium batteries present. All the stored energy, released at once, can be very, uh, energetic.

    An example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oieH2wwDGzo - but before anybody starts ranting about electric cars, they should keep in mind all sorts of devices hold them, like your laptop computer and the phone you have stuffed in your pocket, next to your nethers. Not mine, though, because I don't carry one.

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