By Luke Peteley
Staten Island Advance
NEW YORK — FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker announced progress in the struggle against lithium-ion battery-related fires on Wednesday and released data on 2024 fatalities and emergency response figures.
In 2023, New York City lost 18 lives to fires related to lithium-ion batteries; In 2024, there were six, a 67% decrease, Tucker announced
The FDNY credits the drop in such fatalities to safety messaging, inspections, community outreach and a $1 million ad campaign.
Over the course of 2024, the FDNY Lithium-ion Battery Task Force inspected 585 e-bike shops, a 25% increase from 2023. Over the course of these 12 months, the task force issued 426 FDNY summonses, 138 violation orders, 32 criminal summonses, and issued seven vacate orders with the Department of Buildings.
In tracing the origin of fires, FDNY investigators found that 277 fires were triggered by lithium-ion batteries in 2024. Back in 2023, there were 268 blazes traced back to these batteries. Of these battery-related fires, 133 were non-structural, having taken place outside. In 2023, there were 90 non-structural, lithium-ion battery-related fires.
Back in December, FDNY fire marshals determined that a lithium-ion battery was the cause of a fire that broke out at Staten Island Technical High School in New Dorp. The batteries have been a safety concern among residents and elected officials alike, given that Staten Island is home to numerous lithium-ion battery storage facilities.
Civilian fatalities and FDNY operations data
In addition to sharing insight on lithium-ion battery data, Tucker shed light on FDNY and EMS operations, as well as the number of civilian fatalities resulting from fires.
In 2023, there were 104 fire fatalities and in 2024 there were 78 fire fatalities in New York City — a 25% decrease. The leading cause of these fire fatalities has been identified by the FDNY as electrical.
There were 2.3 million emergency calls in which FDNY Fire and EMS operations responded in 2024.
FDNY EMS set a new record for medical emergency responses — 1,630,446. Of these calls, EMS responded to 627,599 Segment 1-3 calls in 2024. Segment 1-3 calls are identified as life-threatening emergencies such as cardiac arrest, unconscious and choking calls.
In 2024, there were fewer “serious fires and emergencies” than there were in 2023. These “serious” calls are identified as calls in which an emergency warrants at least one-alarm and prompts the response of at least a dozen fire units.
“While the FDNY faced increases in both fire and emergency medical service calls in 2024, our department’s dedication to fire prevention, education, and outreach has saved lives,” said Tucker. “Fire-related fatalities are down by 25% compared to last year, with a significant 67% reduction in deaths related to lithium-ion batteries. One death is too many, but this progress is the result of enhanced public education, inspection efforts and greater community engagement. Despite the higher volume of calls, our EMS personnel and firefighters have worked tirelessly to save lives, and their efforts have helped make 2024 a safer year for New Yorkers.”
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