Electric cars pose new challenge for North Texas first responders
GARLAND, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — With an electric revolution underway, more cars on the road these days have no engine, no exhaust pipe, and no gas tank. It's posing a new challenge for first responders who may not be familiar with the mechanics of an electric vehicle.
"I think it's kind of an afterthought sometimes of how first responders are going to handle those situations with vehicle fires, extrications," said Robert Rich, a Garland firefighter.
To familiarize emergency workers with what they may encounter, General Motors this week is offering them free training in North Texas, and more than a hundred firefighters have already signed up.
"All electrified vehicles have high voltage components to them. The battery pack itself is high voltage," said Joseph McLaine, who is in charge of GM's effort to prepare first responders.
The industry, he says, has settled on using the color orange as a universal way to mark high voltage or dangerous parts. A firefighter's helmet shows where you can safely cut wires to disable low voltage systems.
Rajesh Nagappala, one of General Motors' trainers, says electric vehicles don't pose a greater risk, just a slightly different one.
"People are familiar for hundreds of years: don't mess with the gas tank or the diesel tank. They already know. We're giving the same message here. Don't mess with the battery pack," he said.
Because of the size and weight of a batter pack, though, they're generally placed down low, so there's no risk of cutting into it if someone is trying to rescue a person trapped inside.
Firefighters are also learning the foam they often use to put out car fires won't help if the car's electric.
"A lot of people don't realize water right now is the only thing, and copious amounts of water put on a battery pack or battery package in a thermal event or fire, is the only thing that will work. Foam, other retardants, will do nothing to the source of a lithium ion battery," said McLaine.
Some of the differences are more subtle, like how quiet electric cars are.
First responders are warned to remember a car may still be on and running, even if you can't hear it.
"It's just another precaution we have to take to make sure it's stabilized, it's turned off and we do it effectively," said Rich.
It may take some practice, but he says, there's no option but to embrace what's coming.
"It's an exciting time to learn how these vehicles are going to operate and how the technology's going to advance," said Rich.
