London firefighters are backing vaping as a way to reduce the risk of house fires caused by smoking.
London Fire Brigade – the city’s joint fire service – announced that it “received PHE’s support for e-cigarettes as a key method of helping smokers quit to reduce tobacco-related fires.”
PHE (Public Health England) has launched its annual smoking cessation campaign Stopober, and for the first time it has openly encouraged smokers to try e-cigarettes to quit. This year marks the sixth year of Stopober, and for the first time it is sponsored by a pro-vaping organisation.
Firefighters say smoking is the cause of most fire deaths, although cigarette fires only account for 9 percent of the fires. Vaping is rare, and there have been no fatalities so far, firefighters say.
“Surprisingly, our statistics show that in the past three years there have been 3,580 fires caused by cigarettes compared to only 15 caused by e-cigarettes,” said Dan Daly, deputy fire chief.
“Fire brigades have had to respond to many fires caused by people littering cigarette butts. It is clear that quitting smoking is not only good for your health but also helps prevent unnecessary fires.”
“The fire brigade has no reports of injuries or deaths due to vaping devices exploding. However, e-cigarette users are reminded that they still pose a small fire risk, and that users should never leave their e-cigarettes charging when they are not home or sleeping. Always use the correct charger.”
This advice is in line with the recommendations of battery experts. By following basic battery safety guidelines, vapers can use their devices without worrying about safety. Yet the media focuses on vape explosions and ignores the benefits, making people afraid of this product.
Source: Jim McDonald - Vaping360
Translated by: The Vape Club
