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/ Emergency Response to Incident Involving Electric Vehicle Battery Hazards
Emergency Response to Incident
Involving Electric Vehicle Battery
Hazards
Fire Protection Research Foundation report: “Best Practices for Emergency Response to
Incidents Involving Electric Vehicles Battery Hazards: A Report on Full-Scale Testing Results”
Authors: R. Thomas Long Jr., Andrew F. Blum, Thomas J. Bress, and Benjamin R.T. Cotts Exponent, Inc.
Date of issue: July 2013
Introduction
Fires involving cars, trucks and other highway vehicles are a common concern for
emergency responders. Fire Service personnel are accustomed to responding to
conventional vehicle fires, and generally receive training on the hazards associated with
vehicle subsystems (e.g., air bag initiators, seat belt pre-tensioners, etc). For vehicle fires,
and in particular fires involving electric drive vehicles, a key question for emergency
responders is: “what is different with electric drive vehicles and what tactical adjustments are
required?”
The overall goal of this project is to conduct a research program to develop the technical
basis for best practices for emergency response procedures for electric drive vehicle battery
incidents, with consideration for certain details including: suppression methods and agents;
personal protective equipment (PPE); and clean-up/overhaul operations. A key component of
this project goal is to conduct full-scale testing of large format Li-ion batteries used in these
vehicles. This report summarizes these tests, and includes discussion on the key findings
relating to best practices for emergency response procedures for electric drive vehicle
battery incidents.
Full report
"Emergency Response
to Incidents Involving
Electric Vehicle Battery
Hazards"
- Part 1 (PDF, 5 MB)
- Part 2 (PDF, 5 MB)
- Part 3 (PDF, 4 MB)
- Part 4 (PDF, 5 MB)
- Part 5 (PDF, 5 MB)
* All Fire Protection
Research Foundation
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