Mayor Eric Adams and FDNY officials have invested $1 million in an ad campaign designed to raise awareness on the fiery dangers of faulty lithium-ion batteries.
In recent years, fires sparked by faulty lithium-ion batteries have ravaged homes, crippled communities, and devastated countless families merely because, in many cases, the users did not follow or know about the necessary precautions to take when charging these items.
The ad campaign will feature materials in 10 different languages being placed in neighborhoods with high concentrations of battery-related fires, as well as advertisements posted in subways, bus stops, digital kiosks, and highly trafficked areas. According to the FDNY, approximately $750,000 was spent on these ads, while an additional $250,000 will be used on educational materials and advanced firefighting equipment to help battle battery fires.
“The reality is that the batteries are dangerous even if they are certified, and even if they are not charging,” FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh said. “We implore every user of a device with a lithium-ion battery to closely review this campaign and see for yourselves the deadly and destructive fires the device in your home may cause. We are not kidding around, and need everyone to think about their safety, the safety of their families, their neighbors, and first responders.”
The ads showcase real individuals, such as deliveristas, sharing their stories on how they do their part in practicing precaution when charging lithium-ion batteries used to power their scooters for work.
“I only charge one battery at a time,” Alejandro, a delivery worker, is quoted in the ad.
The FDNY took the campaign a step further, and also included imagery showcasing the horrific damage these batteries can have by displaying images of burnt, mangled metal and scooter parts that exploded killing four people in an apartment building. Inscribed beneath the images of charred buildings and scooters, the ad includes statistics showcasing the potential dangers.
“In 2023, 133 lithium-ion batters exploded while they were even charging,” the ad states.
The effects of improper E-bike charging, and storage has devastating consequences. In June of 2023, a Chinatown E-Bike repair shop with several violations went up in smoke in a 3-alarm fire, killing four. The FDNY has since cracked down on dangerous storefronts, with fire marshals even arresting a Brooklyn man back in April under the city’s recently-enacted lithium-ion battery storage law.
