My electric car has caught the attention of the local fire service.

[axelsimmonsla]

In a message I received yesterday, the head of the volunteer fire department in my area asked if I might swing by next week to let the firemen try out an electric car for training. I am the sole owner of an electric car in the tiny cities they service, according to registration statistics.

Obviously, I was more than delighted to comply. My gut tells me that the most of them have never laid eyes on an electric car, so I'm prepared for this to become more of a general Q&A session regarding EVs, with the chance to debunk some fallacies.


I sent the fire chief back with some preliminary information on topics like these and links to Tesla's first responder material:

Methods for manually releasing the doors from the inside
If the electricity goes off, how do I open the trunk?
Lots of laminated glass, which is harder to shatter than tempered glass.
Nearby rapid charging stations both existing and planned
Home charging poses fire hazards owing to the usage of poor-quality outlets and the preference for plug-in charging devices over hardwired ones.
Fire danger is lower than that of gas or diesel-powered cars.


No fire department in Northeast Texas has responded to an electric car battery fire that I have called. But every week, someone will upload a video or photo of a gas or diesel-powered vehicle completely on fire somewhere—in a parking lot, along the road, or even someone's home. It will happen in due time; I will try not to set a bad example.

My mom enjoys manufacturing vinyl stickers in her spare time. Having her create a QR code with my referral link to attach to the car was one idea I considered.

[fatimafg]

You are the only one who can accomplish that job well! How I would give anything to just be a fly in the wall.

[charlotterosslk]

Wonderful training details! I would explain to the fire department how to safely disconnect the "Fireman's Loop" (HVIL disconnect) and locate the 16V low-voltage battery if they asked to see my electric vehicle.

[tariqsm]

The two "Fireman's Loops" exists. The one you can see is on the left side of the LV battery that is mounted on the trunk, and the other one is immediately behind the right rear quarter window; to access it, you'll have to cut through a body panel. But if the vehicle is engulfed in flames and the front bumper isn't lifted,...

Videos showcasing these spots abound.

[charlotterosslk]

I would much appreciate it if there were a way to demonstrate non-destructive approaches to these two HVIL disconnects.

[hassan.wilsonse]

The manual charger release should not be overlooked. Even I can tell that they would seldom ever require that. Worst case scenario: you need a DC fast charger but the handle gets trapped in the connector. At least they'll be aware that, below the liner, inside the trunk, there's a pull tab.

[omar_evansr]

When it comes to electric vehicles, there are plug-in devices that resemble chargers that first responders may use to swiftly stop the vehicle from moving. I think this kind of equipment is reserved for those really unusual cases where the electric vehicle is in motion or still in drive and there's no easy way to get inside; plugging it into a "charger" won't enable it to move.

[jaydengutierrezkt]

https://www.emergency-plug.com/