It’s Fire Prevention Week in Canada and the chief of the Winkler Fire Department is urging area residents to be safe when it comes to battery use.
The national awareness campaign’s 2025 theme is “Charge into Fire Safety: Lithium-Ion Batteries in Your Home,” but Chief Richard Paetzold notes that fire safety includes treating all batteries—alkaline and lithium-ion alike—with a healthy measure of respect and responsibility.
“We’ve had fires in the past because of batteries. One of the fires at the [Gateway Resources] recycling plant a number of years ago was due to improperly disposed batteries,” he said. “That was a major fire.
“All batteries should be handled safely. Don’t throw them in the garbage—recycle them properly,” Paetzold stressed, noting most communities have battery drop-off locations where you can ensure single-use and rechargeable batteries are being safely diverted from landfills (go to call2recycle.org to find the one nearest you).
You also want to keep an eye on the health of any batteries in your home, the chief noted.
“Don’t modify them. Don’t tamper with them. And if they’re damaged, don’t use them. If they’re swollen or dented or the wrapper is wrecked on them, do not use them.”
When it comes specifically to lithium-ion batteries—the kinds of batteries used in many common rechargeable household electronics—keep in mind that they store a lot of energy in a very small place. As a result, these batteries can explode if overcharged or damaged.
“Don’t charge your battery for longer than recommended,” Paetzold urged. “Overcharging can cause batteries to overheat.”
Likewise, when charging something like a cell phone or tablet, make sure you’re doing so on a hard surface—soft surfaces, like a bed, don’t allow the device to dissipate any heat that is created during charging, which can cause a fire.
You also want to ensure you’re using certified or manufacturer-approved charging cables and chargers.
“Yeah, you can buy cheaper ones, but they probably don’t have the same safety mechanisms that something actually recommended by the manufacturer would have,” said Paetzold.
Fall is the perfect time of year to check the batteries in your smoke detector, the chief added, and to take a moment to review and practice your family’s fire safety and fire escape plans.
To mark Fire Prevention Week, the Winkler Fire Department hosts its annual open house at their Pembina Ave. fire hall this Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 6-8 p.m.
The evening will give the general public the chance to tour the fire hall, meet local firefighters, watch a live firefighting demonstration, and get some important fire safety education. There will also be snacks available and a giant bouncy castle for kids to enjoy.
“We want people to come and see the equipment that their taxpayer dollars go towards,” Paetzold said.
A busy summer
As we head into fall, Chief Paetzold reflected on what was a very busy summer for the department.
Dozens of Winkler firefighters were deployed to the wildfires up north, contributing 72 days of service in the communities of Woodridge, Badger, Snow Lake, Leaf Rapids, Lynn Lake, Thompson, and Cross Lake.
“About half of our department went in some way, shape, or form,” Paetzold said. “We had equipment at every fire, and we always run our own equipment.”
It was an opportunity for Winkler’s crews to exercise training they are seldom called on to use in our area.
“We don’t get wildfires here, not like that,” Paetzold said, noting grassfires are much more of a common sight locally. “So it was a chance to learn some new skills.”
Winkler’s firefighters had actually been slated to take a course on wildfire firefighting techniques just before they were called on to help.
“The weekend that we were to take that training, the instructors got called away for the Flin Flon/Lynn Lake fire, so we just took that training a couple of weeks ago,” Paetzold shared. “So the test came before the lesson.”
It was a balancing act ensuring the Winkler area remained protected while some local firefighters deployed elsewhere in the province, Paetzold said, but everyone pulled together to make it happen.
“I have to say to our employers, we thank them for letting the people that they could go,” he said. “But we also needed some of those people to stay home too, so it took the whole group to make it work.”
