Helena firefighters are spending Fire Prevention Week in local classrooms this year, with a focus that goes beyond the traditional stop-drop-and-roll basics. The emphasis in 2026 is lithium-ion batteries — the power source inside the smartphones, tablets, laptops, e-bikes, and electric scooters that have become fixtures in nearly every Helena household.
The batteries, while convenient, carry real fire risk when damaged, improperly charged, or left plugged in overnight without supervision. Firefighters are walking students through what to look for — swollen or damaged batteries, counterfeit chargers, devices charging on beds or couches — and what to do if a battery-related fire starts, which can produce toxic smoke and spread faster than a conventional house fire.
Fire Prevention Week is a national observance, but the Helena Fire Department's school visits make it local. Reaching kids in the classroom is one of the more reliable ways fire safety messages make it home to parents, and the lithium-ion focus reflects where the real emerging risk lies in Montana homes right now.