Fire and Emergency’s Lithium-ion battery safety campaign launches

With lithium-ion battery fire incidents on the rise in Aotearoa and around the world, Fire and Emergency is taking an education and prevention approach to reduce the harm caused by lithium-battery fires.

Earlier this month, Fire and Emergency have launched its first fire safety campaign to build awareness of the fire risk associated with charging lithium-ion devices.

Research shows that currently, our audience doesn’t associate their everyday lithium-ion powered items – such as scooters, e-bikes and vapes - with fire, so this first phase of the campaign focuses on establishing this link.

It hijacks the established visual language of a clean and attention-grabbing warning label to remind people of the danger hidden in everyday items they’re familiar with - scooters, vapes and e-bikes, if not charged correctly.

The campaign imagery has been created using pyrotechnics and CGI; no real lithium-ion batteries have been used in the creation of this campaign due to the danger lithium-ion batteries pose once ignited.

The campaign features on social and digital channels, outdoor advertising like bus stops, and street posters as well as several item-specific locations including Locky Dock, an e-bike parking and charging facility in Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch.

Digital channels will direct the public to www.fireandemergency.nz/battery(external link) to learn more.

In addition, work is ongoing to:

• Collaborate with other agencies, such as battery manufacturers and recycling companies, to ensure that lithium-ion batteries are handled and disposed of safely
• Use media coverage and interview opportunities to put out lithium-ion battery safety messaging
• Develop further guidance for firefighters attending lithium-ion battery incidents
• Consult with government organisations (regulators) to promote safe lithium-ion battery handling and storage, including councils, businesses, and the wider industry to raise awareness of the potential fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries.

We’ve developed resources to help you share our message. They’re available on the Bookshelf, on the website(external link) and in the Facebook Admins Group. If you have any questions about the campaign, reach out to CRR@fireandemergency.nz