92 first responders from around Connecticut attended the EV safety trainings in Windsor Locks, Willimantic and New Haven in 2023 and early 2024.
Paul Norwood, director of training at the Connecticut Fire Academy, said electric vehicle fires present a unique challenge to firefighters. “Electric vehicles have hit the market so quickly and the technology is also changing so quickly, it’s very hard for the fire service to keep up with those changes so we can be prepared for any instance,” Norwood said.
See “Public Safety Officials Keep Up With Rapidly Growing EV Technology” and Firefighters Get Ready For The Next EV Fire for media coverage with some great photos.
Sponsored by the Connecticut Fire Academy, Capitol Clean Cities and Greater New Haven Clean Cities, trainer Jason Emery from the National Fire Protection Association delivered an NFPA curriculum including:
- An introduction to HEVs/EVs, basic electrical concepts and hazards
- HEV/EV vehicle types
- Batteries and systems
- Initial response actions – including vehicle identification, immobilization and disabling procedures
- Extrication operations
- Battery breaches
- Vehicle submersion
- Vehicle fires
- Post incident handling of vehicles and incidents involving charging stations
- Connecticut specific responses, including best practices documents for EVs, fixed energy storage and micromobility devices as released by the Commission on Fire Prevention and Control
Emery, a 33-year fire service veteran, has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the NFPA in various areas, the lead instructor for their Alternative Fuel Vehicle safety training program, a member of the SAE 2990 Task Force: Hybrid and EV First and Second Responder Task Force, presented at the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) annually since 2008, and has trained firefighters throughout the country and internationally in China, Korea, and Canada. Jason has been with the Waterbury FD for 28 years, where he serves as a Battalion Chief, holds a B.S. in Fire Investigation from the University of New Haven and founded Emergency Training Solutions, LLC.
Future trainings are anticipated, subject to funding. If interested contact us at info@nhcleancities.org.
