| This week’s Monday drill focused on "Shocking Developments: EV & Lithium-Ion Battery Incidents," led by Signal 73 Fire Training.
As more hybrid and electric vehicles are on the road, emergency responders must understand the unique hazards they present. Unlike traditional vehicles, these vehicles contain high-voltage electrical systems, lithium-ion batteries, and automatic “silent start” features that can keep the vehicle powered even when it appears off. After a crash, damaged battery components can create risks such as electrical shock, fire, toxic smoke, or delayed ignition hours — and sometimes even days — after the incident. Through specialized training, firefighters and EMS providers learn how to identify hybrid and electric vehicles, properly stabilize them, isolate the high-voltage power system, and safely access and remove occupants without compromising safety. We also train on fire suppression challenges specific to lithium-ion batteries, including the potential for thermal runaway and the large volumes of water often required to control these fires.
Thank you to Bryan Doyle of Signal 73 Fire Training for traveling out and leading an excellent and informative drill. Training like this is an important part of keeping our members prepared and our community safe as new vehicle technology becomes more common on our roadways.
For more information on how to become a member, call (914)-533-2727, email us at Info@VistaFD.org, visit https://www.vistafd.org/content/become/, or apply online here: https://www.vistafd.org/apply. |
