Electric vehicle fires: Best practices and free training for first responders

College Station, TX — New resources from the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service are intended to help first responders safely confront fires and other emergencies resulting from electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

“Although EVs are less likely to ignite than fossil fuel-powered or hybrid vehicles, the intense heat, high-voltage cables, and hazardous materials make EV and ESS fires uniquely challenging for first responders,” a TEEX press release states. “Currently, no extinguishing agent is fully effective on these fires, and reignition is a threat for hours or even days after the initial event. These issues are compounded by the increasing prevalence of lithium-ion batteries in EVs, micromobility devices and ESSs.”

The resources include two free training programs:

• Electric Vehicle (EV) Safety for the First Responder – a 2½-hour online course.
• Lithium-Ion Response Awareness – a four-hour in-person course set for March 13-15 in San Marcos, TX (sponsored by the Kyle and San Marcos fire departments).

Lithium-ion battery hazards include overheating, electrical shock, fire and chemical exposure. Fires associated with the batteries can reach temperatures of 3,000° to 4,000° F, so significant damage can occur to structures such as parking garages and underpasses. 

“Because li-ion battery technology is relatively new, many departments, first responders and policymakers have limited knowledge of and experience with this battery technology and the related incidents that can occur,” Gordon Lohmeyer, division director of TEEX Fire and Emergency Services, said in the release. “We have created a repository of information and training resources located on the TEEX website where first responders can obtain the latest information and learn about our agency’s training on preparing for and responding to an EV/ESS fire. 

“We are also working on destructive battery testing with federal partners and research labs, and the results will quantify the types of contaminants first responders may encounter during EV/ESS emergencies.”