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.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.
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.
