By Alex Langbell
Due to the rising cost of fuel in the United States in the last decade, electric vehicles are becoming more popular every year. The fleet of plug-in electric vehicles in the United States is the largest in the world. Since 2008, more than 194,000 highway-capable plug-in electric cars have been sold in the country through March 2014. The U.S. was the world’s leader in plug-in electric car sales in 2012, with a 46 percent share of global sales.
As of April 2014, there are 16 plug-in models available in the American market from nine major car manufacturers, plus several models of electric motorcycles and utility vans. The top selling plug-in vehicles are the Chevrolet Volt Hybrid, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius, and the Tesla Model S and the Ford C-Max Engeri.
According to National Fire Protection Association, the following precautions should be taken when either firefighting or compromising the vehicle by use of hydraulic equipment.
- Identify every vehicle to make certain it is not an electric or a hybrid vehicle. Many times identification labels can be found on either the front or rear fenders.
- Approach vehicles from the side until they are confirmed off. This can be difficult to identify due to the lack of engine noise. All vehicles need to be stabilized when working around them. Place the engine in park, set the parking brake, chock the wheels, and disconnect the 12V positive (red) cable.
- When fighting fire, manufacturers recommend using copious amounts of water. If the fire involves the high-voltage battery, defensive attack is suggested until the battery pack has burned itself out. If firefighting is absolutely necessary, again, they suggest using copious amounts of water.>
- If a vehicle is connected to a charging station, treat it as an energized electrical fire and shut down the electrical circuit supplying the charging unit before applying water. Class C extinguishers can be used.
- Never blindly pierce the vehicles hood with tools such as a halligan. This can cause an electrical shock due to the inverter/converter, which is typically found in the engine compartment.
- Do not cut or disable any high-voltage components (marked in orange). These can hold more than 360 volts of electricity.
- Be careful removing the roof on certain vehicles. The Toyota Prius emergency response safety guide strongly advises against this procedure.
A complete guide on how to handle most electric and hybrid vehicles emergencies can be found at the afvsafetytraining.com Web site.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- NFPA Unveils Online Electric Vehicle Safety Training
- Vehicle Extrication: Electric Vehicles and Their Charging Stations
- Extrication: Vehicle Profile: Chevrolet Volt
- Electric Vehicle Systems for Firefighters and First Responders
- Vehicle Extrication: Identifying Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
Top Five Selling Electric Vehicles (EV) in the United States
Alex Langbell is a lieutenant with the Yakima (WA) Fire Department.
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