The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is well known for getting their point across on social media. A seven-minute montage of mannequins succumbing to 4th of July firework injuries may be an unconventional way to warn about the dangers of recreational explosives—but try forgetting those images when lighting your next bottle rocket. In similar pyrotechnic fashion, the CPSC is warning everyone to take extra care during the holidays when it comes to all kinds of combustible, seasonally appropriate objects.
On December 22, the commission illustrated how some gifts are far more flammable than others with its 30-minute Escooter Lithium-Ion Battery Yule Log video. These rechargeable power sources are increasingly common, but their underlying internal chemical reactions also produce flammable gases that can easily burn for hours. They also require much more water to extinguish. A single EV car fire may need over 30,000 gallons to quench, but even smaller vehicles like e-scooters and hoverboards can be dangerous.
escooter lithium-ion battery yule log fire for your home – Fuego con batería de iones para tu casa
“If you’re shopping for an e-bike, e-scooter, or hoverboard this holiday season, make sure you buy it from a retailer you know and trust. Also, make sure you charge your battery safely,” the CPSC explained in its post. “Always follow the manufacturer instructions for charging your battery. Never charge your batteries overnight, [and] only use approved replacement batteries.”
Fire risks don’t only apply to the gifts under a tree, however. In some instances, the tree itself is a hazard. The difference between how flames spread in a dry holiday centerpiece versus a well-watered one is clear in the CPSC’s side-by-side comparison video posted on December 20th. A Christmas tree becomes a literal tinderbox when dry, igniting in a matter of seconds. While still a danger, a watered tree takes much longer to smolder before going up in flames.
It’s all potentially lifesaving information to keep in mind—details that the CPSC manages to distill down into a simple, easy-to-remember metaphor: You wouldn’t gift your children an enchanted scorpion, so don’t gift them complicated and potentially dangerous presents.
Alright, maybe it’s not exactly a “simple” metaphor. But like the 4th of July PSA, it’s one that certainly sticks with you.
