“Charge Into Fire Safety. Safe Charging Is a Superpower.”

Technologies are evolving at an unprecedented pace and with new technology come new hazards and safety risks that need to be addressed. First introduced into the marketplace in 1991 by Sony Corporation, the implications of using lithium–ion batteries have become a significant public safety concern, primarily due to their propensity to overheat and undergo a dangerous phenomenon called thermal runaway. Once this process starts—due to overcharging, physical abuse, or extreme temperatures—the energy stored in the battery is released very suddenly, creating extremely high temperatures of up to 750 degrees Fahrenheit. In the end, this self–sustaining cycle of heat can result in fire or even an explosion.

While commonly associated with cell phones and laptops, lithium–ion batteries have become the gold standard for rechargeable energy storage due to their lightweight design, high energy density, faster charging capabilities, and long lifespan. Despite their popularity, they are not without their disadvantages.

To spread awareness effectively—while focusing on practical, actionable safety rules for purchasing, charging, and disposing of this type of battery—the NFPA has chosen a lithium–ion battery–related theme for National Fire Prevention Week for the second year in a row. While 2025’s campaign centered on the potential dangers of lithium–ion batteries in the home, this year’s theme will focus solely on the proper steps to recharge these little powerhouses.

Printable Resources
As part of the initiative, NFPA outlined several core safety messages tied to safe charging practices. Download the safety tips sheet to learn more.

Along with battery safety tips for adults, the NFPA offers this family-focused resource to help everybody work together and play an active role in staying safe whenever they use or charge devices in a number of environments and situations.

Fire Prevention Week commemorates what is known as The Great Chicago Fire that burned from Sunday, October 8 to early Tuesday, October 10 in the year 1871. This notorious blaze was one of the largest U.S. disasters of the 19th century, killing 250 people; leaving another 100,000 people homeless; destroying 17,400 structures; and burning more than 2,000 acres.

According to popular legend, about 9:00pm on Sunday, October 8, the fire began in a barn owned by Irish immigrants, Patrick and Catherine O′Leary. The couple had already retired for the night until their neighbors began calling out about the fire in the barn. A rumor, which was put into print by Michael Ahern, a police reporter for The Chicago Republican at that time, has it that Mrs. O’Leary’s cow kicked over a kerosene lantern that had been placed in the barn. However, some 22 years later, Mr. Ahern admitted that he had fabricated the “cow–and–lantern” story that had put the blame on Catherine O′Leary. Sure, there was a barn and a cow, but the official report could not determine the exact cause of the Great Chicago Fire that destroyed roughly one-third of the city. Despite rumors to the contrary, this legend took and is still widely circulated to this day.

This tragedy changed the way firefighters and the public thought about the importance of fire safety and fire prevention. On October 9, 1911, the 40th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire, the Fire Marshals Association of North America (known today as the International Fire Marshals Association), sponsored the nation’s first Fire Prevention Day with the intent of raising awareness and to educate the public on fire safety. Nine years later, the day became an official national designation when President Woodrow Wilson issued the National Fire Prevention Day proclamation in 1920. To further commemorate this notorious event, President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the first National Fire Prevention Week on October 4–10, 1925 as a national observance to be honored every year on the Sunday through Saturday period in which October 9 falls.