Fire Prevention Week starts Sunday, and the North Haven Fire Department’s message for the season is simple: check your alarms and be careful with what you charge.
The National Fire Protection Association’s 2026 Fire Prevention Week runs Oct. 4-10. This year’s theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower,” focused on lithium-ion batteries, the kind in phones, laptops, e-bikes, scooters, power tools and vapes.
North Haven firefighters have been pushing the same message locally. The department shared lithium-ion battery safety tips with residents in late 2024 as battery fires climbed nationwide.
Safe charging basics
NFPA’s guidance for the week comes down to a few habits:
- Use the charger and cord that came with the device, or a replacement approved by the manufacturer.
- Buy products listed by a recognized testing laboratory.
- Charge on a hard surface, not on a bed, couch or pillow.
- Don’t leave e-bikes and scooters charging unattended or overnight, and keep them away from exits.
- Unplug devices once they’re fully charged.
- Stop using a battery that’s swelling, leaking, overheating, hissing or giving off an odor.
- Don’t toss lithium-ion batteries in the trash or recycling bin. Take them to a battery drop-off or recycling site.
Know your alarm’s sounds
In a past Fire Prevention Week message, Chief Paul Januszewski urged residents to learn what their alarms are telling them:
- Three loud beeps in a row means smoke or fire. Get out, call 911, and stay out.
- A single chirp every 30 or 60 seconds means the battery is low.
- If chirping continues after a new battery, the alarm is at the end of its life.
- All smoke alarms must be replaced after 10 years.
A busy department
The North Haven Fire Department runs four stations with seven engines, two ladder trucks and two rescues, according to the town’s most recent annual report. In 2024 it handled 4,797 alarms and 6,719 total responses, about 18 calls a day, and nearly half the time crews were handling more than one incident at once. About 63% of calls were medical emergencies.
Every fire that doesn’t start is one less call on that board.
Questions
For Fire Prevention Week programs or home fire safety questions, call the North Haven Fire Department at (203) 239-5321. For emergencies, always dial 911.
Key Facts
- What: Fire Prevention Week 2026, theme “Charge into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower”
- When: Oct. 4-10, 2026
- Who: North Haven Fire Department; Chief Paul Januszewski
- Quick checks: Test smoke and CO alarms; replace smoke alarms every 10 years; charge devices on hard surfaces
- Contact: (203) 239-5321; emergencies 911
- Links: northhavenfire.org, nfpa.org
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Photo courtesy of the Town of North Haven
