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Many of us in the fire service who like to keep up to date on current events and relevant fire service topics have been reading a lot of news stories, articles, blogs on electric vehicle fires. Some of the topics I have read about have to do with preventing the fires, the cost of the fires, how long it takes to put the fires out etc. What I would like to discuss with you is some simple tactics to assist a company response to an electric vehicle fire. I have also added some additional steps that may need to be addressed by your department if they have not already been done.

Because of the nature of the vehicle itself, many jurisdictions have changed their response guidelines based on fires involving an electric vehicle.  Maybe you send an extra engine company with a chief officer, maybe it becomes a Haz-mat call. Whatever your jurisdiction’s response to these fires is, there are some basic things you need to know in order to be able to mitigate these fires. 

• Put water on the fire, sounds simple but, ask yourself these questions: Where is the seat of the fire? Is it in the cab only? Has the battery storage compartment been compromised? Do you have Thermal runaway in the batteries or just a motor fire? When you answer these questions, it will determine where you will focus your water flow. 
• A search of the vehicle should always be completed, and an all clear given. 
• If the battery storage compartment has been compromised and thermal runaway is occurring, secure a static water supply and be prepared to be on the scene for a longer period of time, then for a normal vehicle fire.
• Make sure the law enforcement is on the scene to assist with traffic control.
• It is very typical to call for assistance on these fires. Do it early, so the scene can be mitigated faster. The more water you put on the fire the better chance you have at cooling the batteries temperature below 125 degrees. After knocking down the cab fire, aim water streams at the battery compartment or where the compartment has been compromised. This will maximize your cooling affect. 
• Battery compartments are part of the frame of the car. If the car is on its wheels, you must be willing to get your water flow onto the battery compartment or better yet into the battery compartment. Raising one side of the vehicle, to access the compartment is a tactic for getting water onto the batteries. This tactic can be dangerous and manpower intensive. 
• Secure the water runoff as fast as possible. This will prevent the battery chemicals from entering the sewer system. Remember that protecting the environment is one of our tactical priorities. 
• Don’t assume the fire is out if it involves a battery compartment. I have personally seen the result of a car fire that was “OUT,” re-ignite and start up 25 minutes later.
• Use your TIC to determine temperature. Constantly monitor the temps of the batteries and battery compartment. Temps need to be below 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Notify your municipality or government agency of the hazard and have communications with them. For example, notifying the streets department and the water department of the fire and using their expertise to assist with runoff, long term traffic blocking, etc.
• Who is your contracted tow company? Have a conversation with them prior to any incident and come to an understanding on who will tow the car and where will they tow it to. Lots of concern over re-ignition from the tow companies. In other words, who accepts the liability of storing the car. Do you throw it on the junk pile and leave it or is there a separate, area at the tow companies’ yard that is away from other combustible material. Does your jurisdiction have an area to store it, again away from any other combustibles.
• Is there a local environmental company that is willing to place the car in a roll off dumpster and fill the dumpster with dirt or water to prevent further thermal runoff. That has now become a tactic to make sure there is no re-ignition. And to be honest it is the best way to prevent re-ignition after having the fire knocked down.
• There are several phone apps that can assist you with specific vehicle types, pictures and hazards of the vehicles.

There are a lot of things to think about when responding to an electric vehicle fire. As these cars, trucks, and delivery vans become more prevalent on the roadways, we will be responding to more incidents involving them. Obtaining the knowledge and experience will make mitigating these incidents less problematic. Keep up to date by reading relevant articles, current best practices, and be willing to try outside the box tactics to mitigate the incident.