MELBOURNE, Fla. – For the first time, Florida is making rules for safe use of dangerous rechargeable batteries that have become a big part of everyday life.
News 6 investigator Erik Sandoval has been reporting for more than a year how when lithium-ion batteries in electronics like phones, computers, or e-bicycles over heat, they can explode and the fire can burn faster and hotter than other kinds of fires.
After his investigation led to lawmakers drafting new legislation in Tallahassee in September, Sandoval attended the state’s first meeting on drafting new rules for storing and charging batteries.
On Thursday, another meeting was held in Brevard County.
At the Hilton in Melbourne, Florida’s top firefighter told News 6 reporter James Sparvero that the state fire marshal’s office had received more suggestions.
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“We got some good information back from some of our local fire officials, as well as some industry experts, on comments in some different areas of the rule right now,” director JoAnne Rice said. “There was a lot surrounding parking garages and parking structures.”
A draft of the rules calls for putting fire sprinklers in parking garages.
“We want it to be seamless when the rule goes out that everybody understands it, they’re able to put it into use,” Rice said.
Rice told Sandoval in 2023 that the batteries scared the “daylights” out of her and that she was afraid firefighters and citizens would die.
“They still scare the daylights out of me, but what I will say is that there’s a lot more awareness now,” she said Thursday. “Awareness with the public, awareness with the fire service, awareness with our Legislature that there is an issue there. And that is comforting. That means we’re gonna do something.”
Rice’s office would like to hear from you, too.
If you’d like to submit a comment suggesting how to draft these new rules, you have one week.
The state fire marshal’s office is taking comments online until Nov. 14.
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