Don’t Underestimate the Damaging Effects of a Cellphone or E-Cigarette Battery Fire – Leading NYC-Based Fire Expert

New Inexpensive Fire Prevention Product Offers Protection, Reduced Risk and Peace of Mind to Consumers and Businesses Concerned about Lithium Battery Fires

JUPITER, FL / ACCESSWIRE / December 21, 2016 / Retired New York City Special Operations Captain Tony Tricarico has seen thousands of devastating house fires over a span of a 28-year career that started as a firefighter in Engine Company 42 in the Bronx. “It is often the ubiquitous things that lead to major fires in the home. From my experience, the five most preventable causes are cooking-related fires, unattended candles, burdened electrical connections, lighting/appliance malfunctions, and smoking cigarettes or cigars,” says Tricarico, who is now the Northeast Regional Director at GelTech Solutions, Inc., an innovator in the use of environmentally-friendly polymers for fire suppression and prevention. “This year, cellphone and e-cigarette batteries have been added to the list of everyday items that can pose a threat to our homes,” he added.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says there are more than 360,000 home structure fires each year, resulting in $6-$8 billion in damage.

According to Tricarico, most consumers charge their smartphones or lithium-battery powered devices near or on bed stands, close to flammable objects.

“While the risk of any one phone or e-cigarette battery igniting is low, the harm they can cause can be devastating. When a lithium battery sparks in a bedroom, for example, everything surrounding the phone can become collateral damage, potentially fueling the fire to the point where the entire home becomes fully engulfed. Most people are surprised to learn that this can happen in just minutes, which is why it is so important to contain, or better yet, prevent the damage in the first place.”

Concerns about the safety of smartphones were brought to light in 2016 with the widely-publicized fires and explosions involving the latest Samsung Galaxy line of smart phones, which have since been pulled from the market. Most recently, consumers are reporting that their iPhone 6 and 7 models have caught fire as well. Manufactures of smartphones have been working feverishly to determine exactly what has been causing the fires.

According to fire experts, the most likely culprit is the units’ rechargeable lithium-ion batteries. “Newer generation batteries are more efficient and allow engineers to pack them into very confined spaces. This enables manufacturers to keep the phones small while extending the time a charge will last. However, this has had unintended consequences: they generate considerable heat and are more easily damaged if dropped,” warns Tricarico. “Users may believe that since their screens did not crack when dropped, they were spared, but in fact users may be underestimating the true risk of damage to the cell phone’s battery after a drop.”

Tricarico and his team at GelTech advise users, especially if they intend to buy a used or refurbished smartphone, to look for signs of any damage, such as dents that may have been caused by dropping the phone. If you are keeping your existing phone, remember that every bump has the potential to damage a lithium-ion battery, with potentially dangerous consequences.

GelTech recently launched ChargeSafe™, a one-of-a kind solution with wide market potential that addresses these growing risks for businesses and consumers. Powered by FireIce Shield®, an advanced, proprietary fire suppressant capable of extinguishing metal and other fires up to 10,000ºF, the ChargeSafe™ case protects smartphone owners and their environment by isolating the device while charging, storing, or transporting. When a faulty or damaged battery overheats, the ChargeSafe™ case instantly releases FireIce Shield® stored in the lining to suppress the fire.

ChargeSafe™ is especially important in high occupancy environments, such as airplanes, hotels, and dormitories, where the potential for damage to life and property from a lithium battery fire is magnified, as well as anyone who owns a smartphone that was handed down or bought second-hand that has been repeatedly charged well beyond the manufacturers’ recommended life cycles for these devices.

“From our roots in municipal and wildland firefighting, we truly stand behind ChargeSafe™, our first consumer product that delivers peace of mind to millions of smartphone users with a small investment of under $40,” adds Tricarico, “No matter how you cut the cake, you will be in for thousands of dollars of damages caused by a lithium battery fire. It’s penny-wise to invest in peace of mind.”

ChargeSafe™ is now available to the consumer market, with a planned national retail launch scheduled for spring 2017.

Relevant links to product:

Link to PCMag Article and YouTube Video

ChargeSafe™ – A Portable, Lightweight, Protective Case Powered by FireIce from Geltech Solutions on Vimeo.

ChargeSafe™ Case – Evolution from Geltech Solutions on Vimeo.

Product Specifications:

MSRP: $39.99
Size: 8.75 x. 6.0 x 1.75 inches
Weight: 1.2 pounds
Product No: FI-CS-S

www.ChargeSafeCase.com

About GelTech Solutions, Inc. (OTCQB: GLTC)

Founded by inventor and chief technology officer Peter Cordani, GelTech Solutions is a leading provider of innovative, environmentally friendly and cost-effective products that help government agencies, industry, agriculture and the public achieve goals such as water conservation and protecting lives, homes and property from fires. GelTech’s products include FireIce, a non-corrosive polymer that when hydrated produces a water-based suppressant to extinguish fires and a retardant to protect assets and property; Soil2O Dust Control products that reduce airborne particulate matter with minimal environmental impact; and GT-W14, an advanced absorbency technology to control fluid spills of all sizes, turning liquids into solid waste for easier and safer disposal. For more information on GelTech, please visit www.geltechsolutions.com

For more information about the ChargeSafe™ case, please visit www.ChargeSafecase.com

For more information about GelTech, please visit www.GelTechSolutions.com

For more information about FireIce, please visit www.FireIce.com

For media or product inquiries, please contact:

Paul Christle, Director of Media and Communications
GelTech Solutions, Inc.
800-924-4874
pchristle@geltechsolutions.com

For Investor Relations, please contact:

Michael Porter
Porter, LeVay & Rose
212-564-4700
michael@plrinvest.com

SOURCE: GelTech Solutions, Inc.

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