Partner Michael Mezzacappa was published in the New York Daily News opinion section in response to a recent editorial regarding retiring FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh and her legacy of awareness and advocacy regarding the growing threat of e-bike battery fires.
Readers sound off on who gets housing first, campaign messaging and Laura Kavanagh’s legacy
New York Daily News | August 10, 2024
Continue her legacy
Tarrytown, N.Y.: Former FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh’s relentless advocacy for lithium-ion battery safety was rightly celebrated in your Aug. 7 editorial “Laura Kavanagh’s mission continues.” Shining a light on the scourge of e-bike battery fires has not only inspired swift action on the part of our representatives at all levels of government, but it’s saved lives in the process. According to reporting in July 2024, e-bike battery fires had led to only one fatality versus 13 at the same point in 2023, no doubt due to greater consumer awareness of what to do in case of these fires. But more must be done, as the number of fires, year over year, has remained pretty much the same even as fatalities and injuries decline. Congress must pass federal safety standards that will keep improper equipment off the market and ensure that manufacturers doing business in the U.S. are traceable and insured.