Electric Vehicles – First Responders’ Guide

By 2030 it is expected that electric vehicles will outnumber conventional petrol-fuelled vehicles. The Department for Transport has already banned the sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans after 2035.

All the major car manufacturers are developing a range of electric and hybrid models to satisfy the demand for battery-powered vehicles.

By the end of 2020, at least 50 different battery-powered cars were available to buy from British showrooms, and that number is set to grow considerably in the coming years.

We are currently playing a significant role in ensuring the safety of EV charging point installations but one of the next challenges will be to ensure that engineers, mechanics and the front line rescue services are all well trained to deal with incidents involving EVs.

There are significantly different issues to be aware of when dealing with such incidents, and a large number of individuals need to be up to speed as regards these differences.

The First Responders’ Guide is aimed at people who are expected to work on or in an electric vehicle (or hybrid).

This includes the emergency services (paramedics and ambulance operatives), fire and rescue staff, as well as the police.

In addition, other potential first responders such as coastguard, helicopter crews, roadside assistance staff, car park operators and lease fleet owners will also benefit from its advice and guidance.

It is designed to ensure that they follow correct procedures and are aware of, and avoid, the potential hazards involved in dealing with high voltage direct current [DC] electricity.