Safe Charging is a Superpower - Fire Prevention Week, October 4-10, 2026

Kean Hallissey, age 12, was named Junior Fire Chief in a ceremony today at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Fire Chief Steve Dongworth made the announcement and presented Kean with a fire helmet and special certificate honouring his appointment.

Each year during Fire Prevention Week, the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) appoints a Junior Fire Chief to act as Calgary’s fire safety ambassador. This program has been running since 2016 in partnership with the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

Kean’s duties will include promoting this year’s Fire Prevention Week theme, “Charge into Fire Safety - Safe Charging is a Superpower.” As part of Kean’s first day, he went for a ride in a fire engine and had lunch with firefighters and his family at the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“Our Junior Fire Chief plays an important role in helping to raise fire safety awareness for everyone, especially young people,” said Chief Dongworth. “Just like our Community Safety Team and the 1800 other firefighters in our service, the Junior Fire Chief helps to us communicate important fire safety messages with our family, friends and community.”

“We’re honoured to continue this meaningful partnership with the Calgary Fire Department, recognizing a remarkable child whose courage and character embody the spirit of the Junior Fire Chief program.” said Stacy Kelly, Special Events Coordinator at the Alberta Children’s Hospital. “The program helps to promote important initiatives and our shared values around safety, teamwork and leadership.”

Kean joins the Calgary Fire Department at a time when Calgary is seeing increasing fire risks from consumer and household devices due to lithium-ion battery fires.

“With more lithium-ion battery fires, residential fires, overdoses and other medical calls, Calgary Fire is expected to see its greatest-ever number of incidents in 2026,” said Chief Dongworth with a minimum projection of 94,000 incidents by end of year. We’re also seeing growth in emerging risks such as urban wildfire and fireworks usage.”

Lithium-ion fires can be hard to extinguish and difficult to control. Batteries contain high amounts of stored energy which, once ignited, cause thermal runaway, leading to rapid overheating, explosions and toxic gases.

Damaged batteries, overcharging, and improper use of batteries and chargers are common causes of fires. Use of off-brand or discounted high-capacity batteries is also highly associated with greater fire risk, as is modifying electronics in any way.

Know how to charge & recycle safely Calgarians are encouraged to:

Buy and use safely: Purchase products from reputable vendors and look for a “UL” or “CSA” stamp on the product to ensure it meets safety standards. Don’t damage or modify your devices and their batteries.
Charge safely: Do not overcharge devices; unplug them or remove the battery once fully charged. Do not charge under pillows, on beds or on couches where batteries can overheat.
Recycle responsibly: Recycle your batteries at designated collection sites across Calgary. Find out more at calgary.ca/chargesafe.

By responsibly recycling batteries, hazardous materials are kept out of the garbage and landfills. Recycling also allows for the recovery and reuse of valuable resources, which can be used in the manufacturing of new products, like stainless steel products or even new batteries.

Find out more about how to safety manage and dispose of batteries, including free drop off locations across Calgary: calgary.ca/chargesafe.

For more information about Fire Prevention Week, visit calgary.ca/firepreventionweek.

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Fire Prevention Week – Fast Facts

2026 is currently on track to see the most ever lithium-ion battery fires on record in Calgary, mostly caused by e-scooters, e-bikes and battery packs.
While lithium-ion battery fires are not as frequent as structure fires, they doubled in Calgary between 2024 to 2025, from 10 to 21 incidents.
With more lithium-ion battery fires, residential fires, overdoses and other medical calls, Calgary Fire is expected to see its greatest-ever number of incidents in 2026 with a minimum projection of 94,000 incidents by end of year. Previously, 92,923 incidents in 2023 represented the most calls for help in a single year for Calgary’s 141-year-old fire service.
Incident volumes have increased with Calgary’s continued population and geographic growth, from 61,064 incidents in 2020 to 92,248 in 2025 – a 51% increase. CFD is also seeing growth in emerging risks such as urban wildfire and fireworks usage.