By Mike Anderson
There was plenty of family fun to be had at the Georgina Fire and Rescue Services (GFRS) Open House, held last Saturday at the Sutton Fire Hall on Snooks Road.
While some kids toured fire trucks, others scampered through a mock obstacle course to douse a miniature house with a fire hose.
There were also photo opportunities with Sparky, the Georgina Fire mascot, an inflatable safety house, a firefighter relay featuring rural firefighting techniques, and, of course, the ever-popular free BBQ.
The annual event supports Fire Prevention Week, and each year GFRS provides a vital fire safety message.
This year’s topic was how to buy, charge and recycle Lithium-Ion batteries safely.
While these batteries have become everyday household items, used to power many of our electronic gadgets and portable tools, if not used correctly, they can overheat, cause a fire, or even, in extreme cases, explode.
Deputy Fire Chief Doug Bolton says there are three key points about the batteries he wants residents to be aware of.
First, when buying a Lithium-Ion battery, ensure it has been tested by the CSA (Canadian Standards Association) or UL, the U.S. equivalent. It should have a sticker on the back.
“You should know that it’s gone through some sort of testing process, so it’s safe to use,’ Bolton said.
“For instance, you might buy something from overseas online. Ensure that when it arrives, it has been tested in North America. Our testing is more stringent, and we can guarantee that it’s safe.”
Bolton says the second thing is to ensure you charge the battery safely.
“We always want to make sure we’re using the right cord that comes with the battery. We don’t want to mix and match cords just because we have a big box of cords. If you use the wrong charging cord, you could be potentially applying way too much power and overcharge it.”
Bolton also advises charging the batteries in a safe location, one that’s away from flammables and not too hot, exceeding 37.78°C (100°F).
“Keep them away from flammables. Not near your bed. Not near the couch. Because they can potentially get hot when charging. Especially, if they’re damaged or they go into thermal runaway,” he said.
“Thermal runaway occurs when one portion of the cell gets hot and affects the next and the next. And then when they do finally build up enough pressure, they catch fire. It’s quite violent. It burns hot and there’s a lot of smoke.”
He also recommends keeping an eye on them, and not charging them overnight.
The last point is to dispose of the batteries correctly, not putting them in the garbage or recycling bin.
“If you put them in the garbage or recycling, they can come in contact with a metal object in there, and they start discharging whatever is remaining in that battery. And then the next thing you know, we’ve got a fire,” he said.
“Put them in a little bag, tape the ends. There are many places that collect used batteries throughout the town. You can also drop them off at the fire hall if you want, and they’ll actually properly recycle them.”
According to the Recycle Your Batteries Canada! website (www.recycleyourbatteries.ca), single-use and rechargeable batteries can be dropped off at several retail locations, including Sutton Home Hardware (20936 Dalton Rd.), Canadian Tire (24270 Woodbine Ave.), and Staples (24018 Woodbine Ave.).
Georgina Fire Stations 1-6 & 1-4 (37 Snooks Rd & 165 The Queensway South) also take them.
The Georgina Transfer Station (23068 Warden Ave) accepts batteries on hazardous waste collection days (Tuesday and Saturday). However, it’s closed for repairs until October 10. During the closure, residents can drop off batteries at the East Gwillimbury Household Hazardous Waste and Recycling Depot (225 Garfield Wright Boulevard).
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