Andrew Klock, NFPA senior project manager, talks about the specifics of the Electric Vehicle Safety Training project. What is Electric Vehicle Safety Training all about? Why is NFPA launching this program? How will the programs's safety information be distributed?       Casey Grant,  research director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation, talks about key issues concerning first responders and electric vehicles. What are the differences between electric vehicles? What are the key safety issues for first responders? Why is the Research Foundation studying safety issues for electric vehicles?

Are you prepared to respond?
NFPA’s Electric Vehicle Safety Training project is a nationwide program to help firefighters and other first responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles on the road. Funded by a $4.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy, the NFPA project will provide first responders with the training they need to deal with potential emergency situations involving electric vehicles. Training topics will include:

	risk of electric shock
	dangers of unintended vehicle movement
	handling new types of vehicle batteries
	fire extinguishment and overhaul
	challenges presented by charging stations

Events

Chevrolet OnStar First Responder Training Tour. First responders and trainers are invited to a three-hour, multifaceted training session on how to respond to the Chevrolet Volt in emergency situations.

Electric vehicle extrication demo held at Fire-Rescue International Show in Chicago

The demonstration conducted using a 2011 Chevrolet Volt was staged outside McCormack Place in Chicago. Narrated by Ron Moore and conducted by members of the Chicago Fire Department, the demonstration showed a capacity audience locations of high-strength steel and cut points for extrication. 
Video: See footage of this demonstration from Chicago's NBC 5 News on the FireRescue1 website.

Plugged In 
To get an idea of the hazards emergency responders face when handling hybrid and electric-vehicle incidents, the National Firefighter Near-Miss Reporting System is a good place to start. In one incident, emergency responders rushed to a collision involving a hybrid vehicle, which used a 500-volt battery pack to supplement an internal combustion engine. After tending to the passengers, who had only minor injuries, firefighters assessed the vehicle and assumed the ignition was off since the motor wasn’t running. They were wrong.