Kansas City Fire Department EV/Alt Fuel Vehicle Response Guide (2/1/2024) PDF

General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 SCOPE: These guidelines shall apply to all members of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. 1. PURPOSE: The pu...

General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 SCOPE: These guidelines shall apply to all members of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department. 1. PURPOSE: The purpose of this procedure is to identify operational tactics and considerations for Electric and Alternate Fuel motor vehicle fires. As sales of electric and hybrid vehicles increase, fire departments must continue to modify our tactics to address evolving safety and tactical considerations. 2. GUIDELINES/BACKGROUND: There is no such thing as a standard vehicle fire. The innovation and design of motor vehicles today has created many different hazards for firefighters. Early recognition of the involvement of an Electric Vehicle (EV), Hybrid Vehicle (HV) Vehicle with Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and emerging technologies such as Hydrogen powered vehicles. Autonomous Driving vehicles represent special risks associated with this emerging technology. This information is critical to size up and initial decision making on the incident. This information should be gathered by KCFD if possible. Crews must complete a size-up and attempt to identify the type of vehicle they are dealing with. Responding crews should rely on visual signs to include vehicle markings, color of smoke, location of smoke and/or fire, and any other signs that signal a crew to be aware of the products involved. The minimum level of protection for firefighters is FULL PPE, and SCBA. Remember to consider the following important steps for all vehicle fires: 2.1 Identify the vehicle type and address life safety. 2.2 Address scene safety, apparatus placement and tactical positioning, immobilize the vehicle, when possible, chock wheels, etc. 2.3. Disable the vehicle, turnoff ignition, operate emergency shutoff if equipped, remove key or Fab to 100ft minimum, consider addressing the factory labeled cable cut points. Some or all of this may not be possible while vehicle is burning. 2.4 Consider using the Electric Vehicle Emergency Plug carried in C110. 3. APPARATUS PLACEMENT Apparatus should be placed upwind and uphill of the incident if possible. This is to afford protection from hazardous liquids, vapors and to reduce the amount of smoke in the work area. Never position the apparatus at the entrance of a driveway. There may be a need to roll a vehicle out of a residential garage in the direction of the Apparatus. Position the apparatus to protect the scene from on-coming traffic, using the apparatus as a barrier, to shield the incident scene from traffic hazards. The use of flares by fire and police should be used with caution; consider the potential for flammable liquids and vapors. Additional consideration should be given to positioning the apparatus as per the KCFD FAO Manual. 4. WATER SUPPLY/EXTINGUISHMENT 1 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 Except in the case of a large fuel fire, water is the best for extinguishment of motor vehicle fires, however, if not immediately available dry chemicals, CO2, F500 Foam, or another typical extinguishing agent should be considered. If an EV/HV has been identified and is on fire, large amounts of water will be required to cool the batteries if the batteries catch fire also known as Thermal Runaway, are exposed to high heat, or are generating heat or gases. It can take 3,000 – 8,000 gallons or more of water applied to the battery to fully extinguish and cool down the batteries. This will require an uninterrupted water supply. Call for water early once an EV/HV is detected. 5. FIRE ATTACK The minimum size of hose line to initiate an attack on a vehicle fire is the 1 ¾ inch handline. Approach the vehicle with full PPE and SCBA with facepiece, initiate the fire attack from a 45-degree angle, utilizing the reach of the fire stream to begin to extinguish the fire, extinguish all visible flames. First water should be applied to extinguish or protect the passenger compartment and an all clear should be obtained. Wheel Chocks or Electric Vehicle Emergency Plug should be applied to prevent the vehicle from rolling or moving. 6. GENERAL HAZARDS AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS Energy absorbing bumpers consist of gas and fluid filled cylinders that when heated during a fire, will develop high pressures which may result in the sudden release of the bumper assembly. This could result in serious injury to anyone in its path. Bumper assemblies have been known to travel 25 feet. Lithium-Ion High Voltage Batteries have Explosion/Flammability/Toxicity and Electrical shock hazards. Avoid contact with battery components. The batteries generally have vent points downward and to the sides of the vehicles. When the batteries reach Thermal Runaway the stable state of batteries/cells rapidly fails due to increased heat from charging or external conditions such as fire, the cell transitions from a stable state to an unstable state and then to catastrophic failure of the cell. Once thermal runaway begins it will propagate (spread, domino effect) to the adjacent battery cells. It may only take seconds for this dangerous event to take place. Trunk rear hatch, engine hoods, etc., have hold-open devices that may employ, along or in any combination with any of the following: springs, gas cylinders, extending arms, etc. When gas cylinders are exposed to heat, failure or rupture of these devices should be expected. Excessive pressure may develop in lift assists causing a trunk, hatch, or hood to fly open with explosive force when the latch mechanism is released. To ensure personal safety, be sure to allow sufficient clearance when releasing latches. Fires involving the trunk/cargo area should be approached with extreme caution. Contents may include toxic, flammable, or other hazardous materials. Fuel tanks may be constructed of sheet metal or plastic. A rupture or burn-through may occur with these tanks causing a rapid flash fire of the fuel. Do not remove the gas cap, as the tank may have become pressurized. Do not direct hose stream into the tank, as this will cause pressurization of tank, with a possible result of burning fuel spewing from the tank fill opening. Well-sealed interiors of modern vehicles present the potential for vent-limited fire on the interior which may grow significantly when fresh air is introduced during suppression. Use caution when opening doors or breaking windows. Appropriate approach, ventilation, and safety concerns must be considered. Have a charged handline ready before making entry. At least one member of the attack team must have forcible entry tools in his/her possession to provide prompt, and safe entry into the vehicle. 2 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 Vehicle stability: tires or split rims exposed to fire may explode, causing the vehicle to drop suddenly. Expect exploding rim parts or tire debris to be expelled outward from the sides. Approach at a 45-degree angle from the front or rear of the vehicle for maximum protection from potential flying debris. Some larger vehicles, such as buses (KCATA), employ an air suspension system. When these systems are exposed to heat or flame, they may fail, causing the vehicle to SUDDENLY drop several inches. Where patients are trapped in the vehicle, first water should be applied to protect the patients and permit rescue. 7. ELECTRIC & HYBRID VEHICLES When arriving on scene, the first step is proper size up 360. This includes the extent of the fire and if it’s a vehicle and contents fire or includes the electrical components of the vehicle. Once life safety has been addressed, fire companies should determine if they should suppress the fire or simply allow the vehicle to burn out. This can be based on exposures, the extent of the fire, etc. If exposure is not present, consider letting the EV burn in a safe, controlled manner using handline with Fog nozzle to control and give space for Firefighter and PPE safety. Batteries are simply a method to store energy and once the batteries have gone into Thermal Runaway, we understand that the vehicle is most likely a total loss. Control efforts must consider life safety, property conservation, exposure protection, environmental protection, and firefighter safety. EV fires pose additional hazards to firefighters due to the battery systems. When the decision is made to control the fire, the best method for controlling and cooling a battery fire is with water and isolation. Battery fires will typically first show from rear or side facing vents or under the vehicle where the batteries are located. 7A. Electric Vehicle Fire without Exposure Concerns 7.1 Protect the working area and position apparatus, 360 Size Up, 100 Ft. Safety Zone, wear full PPE with SCBA and facepiece, ensure the EV is in park and powered down when possible. 7.2 Establish Incident Command and Tactical Priorities – (Victim Care, Extrication, Fire - Let it Burn, Suppression, Remove from Exposure) 7.3 Secure a water supply minimum of 1 extra engine, may require 3,000 to 8,000 gallons or more per vehicle. 7.4 Chock the wheels with appropriate wheel chocks for Electric Vehicles. EVs move silently, so never assume the power is off and never assume the EV will not move. If you can remove the Key, Fob, Card Key, Phone Key, etc. to a minimum of 100 Ft, this ensures the 12-volt systems is disabled. 7.5 Small fires that do NOT involve the high voltage batteries can be extinguished using typical firefighting methods. 7.6 For well involved EVs, remember once the interior, contents, etc., are extinguished (Priority 1), sustained suppression on the battery pack may be necessary (Priority 2). Use 1 3/4-inch hand lines to suppress and cool fire and battery. Use handline with fog nozzle to apply water to the underside of the battery pack and the interior of the vehicle based on MFG. recommendations. Create as much distance as possible between the Responder and the Fire for safety. The use of AFFF and other Wetting Agent products 3 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 are not recommended currently, because they can insulate the battery and reduce heat release and should not be used. F500 however may be effective and should be tried as early as possible. 7.7 Attack an EV fire at a 45-degree angle initiating attack from 40 feet away and move forward. Batteries may vent below the vehicle's rocker panels and exhaust out the rear or sides of vehicles. 7.8 Once the interior is knocked down, use nozzle for battery cooling. 7.9 Continue operations until the Vehicle appears to have burnt all the batteries in the pack and you have prolonged reduced temps in the battery pack. Verify cooling trends with TIC. 7.10 Do NOT cut into or puncture the battery pack. 7.11 When necessary, efforts to protect dry-wells and storm drains through diversion and diking should be used. Protect exposures and evacuate the area. 7.12 EV batteries shall always be considered energized. 7.13 Recognize gassing as a sign of continued battery degradation. This visible vapor cloud is toxic and flammable. It may appear as white smoke even post extinguishment. 7.14 Fire Ground, Post Fire Gross Decontamination on PPE, Firefighter, and all gear/equipment used during fire operations. 4 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 7B Electric Vehicle Fire with Exposure Concerns 7.15 Protect the working area. Position apparatus, 360 Size Up, 100 Ft. Safety Zone, wear full PPE with SCBA and facepiece, ensure the EV is in park and powered down, when possible, Establish Tactical Priorities – (Victim Care, Extrication, Suppression) 7.16 Establish Incident Command and Tactical Priorities – (Victim Care, Extrication, Fire - Let it Burn, Suppression, Remove from Exposure) 7.17 Secure a water supply. Order a minimum of 1 extra Pumper, it may require 3,000 to 8,000 gallons or more. Consider Foam Taker 1 (2,500 Gallons of Water). 7.18 Chock the wheels with appropriate wheel chocks for Electric Vehicles. EVs move silently, so never assume the power is off and never assume the EV will not move. If you can remove the Key, Fob, Card Key, Phone Key, etc. to a minimum of 100 Ft, this ensures the 12-volt systems is disabled. 7.19 Small fires that do not involve the high voltage batteries can be extinguished using typical firefighting methods. 7.20 For well involved EVs in open spaces, remember once the interior, contents, etc., are extinguished (Priority 1), sustained suppression on the battery pack may be necessary (Priority 2). Use 1 3/4-inch hand lines to suppress and cool the fire and battery. Use EV Fire Blanket to Isolate and confine the fire from surrounding exposure. Use Fog Nozzle to apply water to the underside of the battery pack and the interior of the vehicle based on MFG. recommendations. The use of AFFF and other Wetting Agent products are not recommended. F500 however may be effective and should be tried as early as possible. 8.0 Fire Suppression/Cooling/ EV Fire Blanket Deployment Attack an EV fire at a 45-degree angle initiating attack from 40 feet away and move forward. Batteries may vent below the vehicle's rocker panels and exhaust out the rear or sides of vehicles. (Priority 1) Knock down Interior like an Internal Combustion Engine Car Fire, work to isolate the issue to the battery pack. Knocking out the Interior helps with keeping blanket integrity, it also helps to identify the Battery Fire location within the Battery Pack for nozzle placement guidance in step E. (Priority 2) Pull EV Blanket over the Vehicle from the side showing Fire First if possible. Tuck the Blanket Edges while flowing water on top and sides of the blanket with handline water. Lower GMP Flows work for this application, we are working to keep the blanket cool Rapid deployment of the EV Fire Blanket will rapidly decrease the potential of fire spread and drastically cut the smoke production Blanket deployment may be considered the as priority for EV fires in parking garages, sub level spaces, or in areas where rapid smoke movement could cause a life hazard to building occupants or pedestrians. Slide Fog nozzle under vehicle to apply cooling water to the battery pack. Shade the nozzle placement slightly off center in the direction you noted the battery was burning on your TIC Check. Continue water flow over the EV Blanket to keep the blanket cool for integrity protection. The flowing water also provides a suction like effect helping to hold the blanket over the vehicle. 5 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 Monitor with a TIC for lower temperature as the battery pack burns out or termination of thermal runaway/ Battery fire propagation is achieved. Looking for sustained temps in the battery pack. When removing blanket ensure proper PPE used, be prepared for any type of hot gas/back draft type flair or flash. (Note anytime thermal runaway is stopped, you have damaged charged cells that can ignite anytime later. Have a plan in place for fires on the roll back or at the scrap yard. Allowing the fire to consume all the batteries at the fire ground does prevent roll back and scrap yard fires) 9. Removing Hazard from Exposure When dealing with an EV Fire and Exposure we must consider removing as much exposure from the hazard as reasonable in the initial knock down and control phase. Once we have control, we need to look at ways to remove the stabilized hazard from the exposure. This is also a major consideration for EV fires on highways and roadways. We need to control and stabilize the situation then move the EV to the side for traffic relief. Use a Fog nozzle and blanket combo to cool the situation until you feel comfortable that the EV is in a stable condition. Use TIC to determine stability, once prolonged stable temps are achieved (Approx. 30- 60 minutes) work to move the hazard away from Exposure by dragging, pulling, use of wheel dollies, tow trucks, etc. If a support truck with stinger attachment or tow truck is used, the driver/operator should be dressed in full PPE and SCBA. 9.1 Never cut into or puncture the battery pack. 9.2 When necessary, efforts to protect dry-wells and storm drains through diversion and diking should be used. Protect exposures and evacuate the area. 9.3 EV batteries shall always be considered energized. 9.5 Recognize off gassing as a sign of continued battery degradation. This visible vapor cloud is toxic and flammable. It may appear as white smoke even post extinguishment. Do NOT breathe and limit exposure to this smoke. 9.6 Fire Ground Post Fire Decontamination on PPE, Firefighter, and all Equipment used during the fire. 10. General Awareness & Safety Concerns The high voltage battery system is controlled through the low voltage battery system. It is important to disable both systems when possible. Ensure to take the key 100 feet away from the vehicle. Locating and cutting both terminals by taking out a 2” length (Prevent Reconnection) on the low voltage side is necessary to potentially disable the system. Find and use the first responder cut loops if available. It is important to note that it may take up to 10 minutes for some electrical capacitors to fully discharge. 11. The batteries will retain stranded energy and will continue to pose an electrical hazard. 6 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 Hybrid vehicles will have lithium batteries and/or another fuel source. You will have hazards of high voltage battery systems and the other fuels. During fire attack with water, the fire does not go out, consider the use of dry chemical extinguishers for initial suppression. Once the vehicle is extinguished, check temperatures of battery locations with TIC, it is important to understand that you are looking at the casing around the battery with your tool. It is more critical to document trending temperatures to indicate if heat is building or if the heat is decreasing. Reignition potential is indicated by temps increasing. An increase in temperature will indicate the potential for a secondary fire. If the batteries have suffered thermal or mechanical insult the potential for electrocution is present, limit contact to the vehicle. Temps should be stabilized for a minimum of 1 hour before the vehicle is released to the tow company. The use of a EV fire/thermal blanket should be considered when exposure issues are present to isolate the burning vehicle’s ability to extend. You should always try to use initial interior knock down and sustained water flow over the blanket once in place when possible. The cooling provides a greater layer of protection for the Blanket and Responder. The EV Fire Blanket does not stop the thermal runaway process and could be consumed by the fire if water is not used in conjunction. Without a life hazard or exposure, consider letting the vehicle burn without suppression or control efforts to vehicle. You may also want to consider suppressing the vehicle Interior/Trunk and surrounding area but allow the battery pack to burn out. This may limit the total amount of smoke produced, increase public perception, and limit the chances of fire on the tow truck or at the scrap yard. If you have removed a vehicle from exposure, you may consider uncovering and allowing the battery pack to burn in the new location. Ensure you have a water supply to sustain operations. Once all firefighting related operations are over, all responders will perform fire ground Post Fire Gross Decontamination. Gear that has been exposed to Lithium-Ion battery off gasses shall be cleaned using detergent with a PH of 9 or greater to help clean and inert contaminants that result from the battery fire. Question about appropriate decontamination can be directed to the Hazardous Materials Division. Hazard mitigation on EV fires is a collaborative process. The NFPA actively maintains a collection of Emergency Response Guides from vehicle manufacturers. To access these documents, use the link below: NFPA - Emergency Response Guides for Alternative Fuel Vehicles The general guidance provided to towing companies and storage facilities is to provide a 50-foot clear space around the EV once stored and never inside a building. Consider briefing towing companies on this and escorting them to the vehicle storage location. Remember, thermal events with the battery system can continue for some time after the initial incident. 12. FIRES INVOLVING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS Fires involving EV charging stations should be treated as a fire involving any other electrical equipment: Secure Power to the EV Chargers. 2 Shut offs - Charging Unit, Main to all Charging Units Once power is secured, the fire can be extinguished in accordance with the contained tactics of fighting an EV Fire with or without exposure concerns. 13. VEHICLES IN PARKING GARAGE 7 General Operational Guideline Subject: EV and Alternate Fuel Vehicle Response Effective Date: 2/1/2024 GOG: 10-52 Applies to: ALL FIRE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL Supersedes: NEW Page: 1 of 8 Any vehicle fire in a parking garage poses unique challenges. This will provide additional resources. A thorough size-up of incident factors must be performed. The goal is to remove the hazard from the exposure if possible. Try to remove as much exposure from the hazard as possible until fire control is established. Some example considerations are: 1. What level is the vehicle on? 2. Is this an above ground or below grade? 3. What exposures are attached to the garage? 4. Is there a life hazard in the exposed areas? 5. Can we rapidly deploy the EV Fire Blanket vs standard fire suppression? 6. Where is the smoke traveling? Should a PPV Fan be used? Do we need to employ building ventilation such as HVAC/Fire Smoke Dampers? Rapid deployment of the EV Fire Blanket, even before lines can be stretched and water applied, can be of great tactical advantage. The EV Fire Blanket is capable of rapidly diminishing the release of smoke and toxins from the burning vehicle. The EV Fire Blanket will also rapidly decrease the heat released from the burning vehicle. This will help slow structural damage, fire spread, giving time for line placement and full extinguishment. Although non-combustible, the concrete structure can be weakened by extended exposure to the heat of a fire. Spalled concrete can create falling debris hazards as well as structural weaknesses. If we can control the EV, can we remove the EV from the Structure? Supporting the sprinkler system is a high priority to limit fire spread. Many modern midrise buildings have a combination system that supports the sprinklers and the standpipe from one system. These buildings often have no fire pump, and the system is charged with municipal pressure. Pumping the FDC increases the GPM flow and pressure for both the sprinklers and the attack line. Controlling the ventilation system will aid in the protection of occupants of the parking garage and the exposures. A size up of the smoke travel/spread must be performed. If the garage is attached to an occupied structure, command must evaluate smoke spread and evacuate occupants from the affected areas. This will limit the exposure to toxic smoke. Truck companies may be used as an improvised standpipe at incidents on elevated freeways or parking garages. 8