Think your vape pen is just another everyday accessory? The Tifton Fire Department says it’s time to think again. While e-cigarettes are often seen as a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes, the tiny tech packing your next hit also comes with some serious risks—especially if you aren’t careful.
Did you know e-cigarettes can explode or catch fire? They pack lithium-ion batteries, and those can overheat, spark, or even straight-up blow if misused. What seems like a small device can cause big damage to your home, your car, your clothes, or you, warns Tifton’s fire safety team.
Why Vapes Aren’t Just Smoke and Mirrors
Let’s break down how these fires happen:
- Overcharging your device
- Using a charger that’s not meant for your vape
- Leaving vapes in hot places (like inside cars or in your pocket with keys and coins)
- Damaging or modifying the device
According to the department, these situations can turn a chill vape session into an emergency real fast.
Fire Safety Tips for E-Cig Users
Here’s exactly what your local fire department wants you to do:
- Use only the charger that came with your device
- Don’t charge overnight or leave it plugged in when you’re not around
- Never carry loose batteries in your pockets; use a protective case
- Keep vapes away from heat, water, and sunlight
- If your device gets hot, makes weird popping noises, or starts swelling, stop using it immediately
And if a fire does break out, skip the water and call 911 instead.
Before You Dismiss This Article…
We live in a time when information feels overwhelming, but here’s what hasn’t changed: facts exist whether they comfort us or not.
When A&W launched their third-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder in the 1980s, it failed spectacularly. Not because it tasted worse, but because customers thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If basic math can trip us up, imagine how easily we can misread complex news.
The press isn’t against you when it reports something you don’t want to hear. Reporters are thermometers, not the fever itself. They’re telling you what verified sources are saying, not taking sides. Good reporting should challenge you — that’s literally the job.
Next time a story makes you angry, pause. Ask yourself: What evidence backs this up? Am I reacting with my brain or my gut? What would actually change my mind? And most importantly, am I assuming bias just because the story doesn’t match what I hoped to hear.
Smart readers choose verified information over their own comfort zone.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
