Serving the City of Griggsville and the
Griggsville Fire Protection District
ISO Class 4
Links to City Ordinances
[Future]
Contact your Alderman
[Future]
Griggsville Fire Resources
Lithium-Ion Batteries. They are everywhere.
Not just in Electric Vehicles (EV's), but in cell phones, tools, toys, laptops, electric scooters and hover boards.
Lithium-Ion battery are great energy sources, but come with a curse- if they are damaged or overheated they WILL self-ignite and produce toxic fumes. Once a "Thermal Runaway" starts the reaction is self-contained and NO fire extinguisher will put the battery out.
If you have a small Lithium-Ion battery fire, use a tool and submerge it in water- bucket, sink, etc. Cooling the battery is the ONLY was to stop the reaction. Or get it outside and keep everyone away until the fireworks stop. Remember, the self-sustaining reaction burns at well over a thousand degrees, and the fumes are toxic.
If your EV battery is damaged or overheats, especially if you see coolant leaking from underneath, assume the battery will go into thermal runaway and plan for a fire. If your EV is on fire, get upwind and stay clear of the toxic fumes. It will take over 10,000 gallons of water to (maybe) put it out.
ONLY buy quaility batteries from a known source. Bargain or foreign "cheap" batteries may not have necessary safety features.
DO NOT charge batteries overnight unattended. A simple malfunction may lead to overheating and a fire.
DO NOT charge batteries in sleeping spaces. Okay, maybe not realistic for cell phones but do what you can.
Consider charging tool and toy batteries, hover boards and E-Scooters in a location that a fire will not spread to your home.
Consider charging your Electric Vehicle outside your garage, especially if the garage is attached to your home. Perhaps not as convenient, but much, much safer.
DO NOT charge batteries to more than 90%. Most thermal runaway LI battery fires are caused by over-charging.
If you need to leave your house or office due to a fire PLEASE close all doors behind you as you leave and let the fire department ventilate in a planned and controlled way to let the smoke and heat out. Trust us, there can be far less damage.
4-10-2024 New case number ART-511625.
