Electric Vehicle Responder Training
2 Day Awareness, Education and Practical exercises
The International Fire Training Centre has partnered with FireWiseUK Learning Academy and Bridgehill Fire Blankets to bring the UK’s first electric vehicle (EV) fire training course to include electric vehicle thermal runaway and live fire simulation.
Instructor Martin Lown, of FireWiseUK, served in the UK Fire and Rescue Service for 30 years and is a trained, qualified and experienced Fire Scene Investigator, specialising in Vehicle Fire Investigation and AFV/EVs, teaching internationally. The EV Responder course is aligned to the IMI National Occupational Standards EV02a & EV02b for Electric Vehicle Response.
Courses dates:
11th & 12th November 2024 | 11th & 12th Feb 2025 | 1st & 2nd April 2025
Learn how to safely respond to and gain an understanding of the of the different tactical suppression options available when facing an EV emergency, appreciating the pros & cons of each.
Experience a simulated vehicle fire using a real LPG burn in a controlled environment. The unique EV Fire Simulator has been designed and engineered to facilitate multiple scenarios to enhance the training opportunity enabling effective, repeatable training of fire containment/suppression tactics for electric vehicle and traction battery fires.
The two-day EV Responder course covers the IMI National Occupational Standards for those working with faulty or damaged Electric Vehicles, and as well as types of EVs, risks & hazards and making safer, faults & abuse, covers all options for fire suppression and containment.
We will cover, theoretically & practically, mainline hose attack, additives, aerosols, PPV, blanket application, containment units, and also battery cooling techniques including under chassis misting, piercing, and submersion.
Delegates will get an understanding of the different tactical options and appreciation of the pros & cons of each.
Featuring:
- Multi-function fire and thermal runaway effects -Maximise the training scenarios, getting best value and learning experience.
- Exceptional FireWare burn equipment and smoke generator – Ensures realistic thermal runaway fire behaviour.
- LPG fuelled fire effects with realistic vapour and sound fire effects – Adds to the realism.
- Instructor controlled – Allows escalation or de-escalation based on crews firefighting effectiveness.
- Making Safer for recovery and transport using the IAIIM protocol.
- Casualty extraction and handling practice – For hands-on learning.
Typical scenarios include:
- Standard car fire (in rear or passenger compartment) for fire attack with hoses.
- Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) battery fire in rear of car.
- ‘Off gassing’ of vapour from underside of car and optional inside passenger between compartment and simulating the emerging risk of explosive vapours filling the car internally and confined (VCE).
- Electric Vehicle (EV) traction battery fire under the vehicle.
- Fire blanket application.
Aim: To raise awareness of the potential risks, and provide underpinning knowledge to inform safe working practices to those who provide a first response to a broken-down or accident damaged electric vehicle, and manage unstable high voltage batteries in an electric vehicle.
Objectives: The IFTC two day Practical EV Responder course will provide the Responder the required knowledge, understanding and skills to enable them to:
- Identify the electric vehicle type, collect relevant information from the vehicle, and know how to find, interpret and use sources of information applicable to unstable electric vehicle high voltage systems and associated hazards
- Carry out a dynamic risk assessment to identify the hazards presented by the unstable electric vehicle high voltage system, assess the risks and formulate an agile mitigation plan
- Select personal protective equipment (PPE)/respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and use safety equipment in line with your working procedures and appropriate to the work activities you are carrying out
- Apply and follow risk mitigation protocols in order to ‘make safer’ an EV and carry out work activities, within your level of training, competence and authority, in a way that minimises risks to yourself, other people and the environment
- Follow the correct procedures to make the vehicle safe prior to starting any work activities, including where necessary and safe to do so, isolating high voltage electrical systems
- Recognise the specific first aid response required for HV electrocution and acid burns
- Understand EV extrication and casualty/patient care considerations
- Understand and apply the tactical options and equipment available for EV fire suppression and containment
- Recognise and continually monitor the indicators of instability within an electric vehicle’s high voltage system, apply control measures appropriate to the indicators presented by the vehicle, and quickly respond to changes/escalation within the emergency situation
- Record the detail of work activities you have carried out, and follow a robust, documented/logged handover procedure to relevant personnel, advising on residual risks throughout investigation, recovery, transport and storage.
All courses at IFTC are fully inclusive of ensuite accommodation (2 nights) and 3 meals per day for delegates. Appropriate PPE is provided.
Target Audience by Job role: Courses are designed for Level 1&2 Responders, likely to face an EV/Lithium Ion involved fire emergency, Level 3 Commanders, and Level 4 RTCIs/Train the Trainers. Delivered by Level 5 Subject Matter Experts.
Please see further details of this two day course below:
Classroom Theory session, incorporating the Firewise demo Vehicle at Tech House Car Park.
- Awareness of the increasing variety of Electric Vehicles amongst Responders and practitioners
- The hazards associated with Electric Vehicles when involved in RTC and/or fire
- Safe approach, information gathering and ERGs (Emergency Response Guides)
- Making ‘safer’ using the ‘IAIIM’ protocol
- ‘Handing over’ risk information.
- Investigation, recovery, transport & storage.
Note: Fire personnel will participate in and receive instruction on fire suppression techniques. Non fire personnel will have the opportunity to observe the live fire exercises, see and hear the simulated conditions of an EV fire. A Fire blanket application, as a preventative measure, exercise will run without fire for those delegates.
Practical Exercises /Suppression Tactics:
- Vehicle fire blanket application in hot fire conditions. (For Fire & Rescue personnel).
- Under chassis misting/cooling of the Traction Battery. (For Fire & Rescue personnel).
- Fire Blanket application as a preventative measure, pre-burn (all delegates) where additional heat may be detected, or a vehicle is damaged.
- Making safer’ an Electric Vehicle – (all delegates) the inbuilt Low and High Voltage features allow disconnection of charging cable, insertion of Emergency Plug, removal of First Responder Loop, disconnection of Ignition fuses, disconnection of LV battery and removal of the HV Manual Service Disconnect (MSD) or ‘orange plug’.
- Trauma care & extrication (doors are removable allowing space creation and the training dummy allows casualty extrication and handling practice
Get in touch to book your place
