Community spotlight: Proper use of lithium-ion batteries the focus of St. Thomas Fire Department safety campaign

All this week, the St. Thomas Fire Department is running a lithium-ion battery safety campaign.

It is in response to the many questions received related to the batteries that power so many of our day-to-day devices.

Fire prevention officer Matt Rumas says you will be surprised at how many of the batteries are likely in your residence.

Does this sound familiar?

When charging your cellphone overnight, you place it under your pillow so you can still check messages.

Not a good idea, cautions Rumas.

Other topics include using the proper charger.

In particular, Rumas has tips on charging e-scooters and mobility devices.

And yes, it does matter where you plug in your charger.

Rumas cautions you do not always get an indication of a battery that is about to fail, resulting in a potentially dangerous situation.

The St. Thomas Fire Department is running a lithium-ion battery safety campaign all this week on their Facebook page to try and minimize potentially dangerous incidents around your business or residence.