Firefighters learn hybrid safety at Jenkintown's Bryner Chevrolet

Tag: 36V Battery

Clad in hoodies, jeans and thick black rubber boots, members of McKinley, Pioneer and Independent fire companies were given insight on what a hybrid vehicle is, what signs to look for to make sure its electric battery system is off and how to turn the system off to help passengers possibly trapped inside.
"For us to do something like this is the least we can do," Peterson said. "You guys, a lot of you, work pro bono. You're out all hours. You're putting yourself at risk ... you guys need to be safe. When you guys get to the scene of an accident your first concern is to get the person out of the vehicle safely. Our first concern is to make sure you guys do it safely so you don't get hurt."
Pioneer firefighter Matt Boutcher echoed Peterson's comments, stating there needs to be more done to help inform firefighters.
"We need this information," Boutcher said, adding the information will be given to the rest of the company during its training session on May 29. "We're volunteers. We have nothing except what people give us."
Firefighters were also shown other signs to look for such as that a "5" as the eighth digit in the vehicle's identification number means it's a hybrid powertrain, and when in doubt to just sever both cables running to the vehicle's 12-volt battery. Peterson also provided firefighters with handouts on where not to cut a vehicle as it may cause airbags to deploy due to their modules being in these zones.
Peterson explained there are three types of hybrids they need to contend with, which include mild, intermediate and full. He said a mild or intermediate hybrid, such as the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid he had on display, should be of little concern because of its 36-volt system.
Peterson, however, stressed that despite the likelihood firefighters will encounter a hybrid is slim, it is the full hybrids they need to watch out for mostly because their electric power source churns out 300 volts of alternating current.
"The chances of anybody here digging into a car and hitting 300 volts is almost nil," Peterson said. "But all it takes is one, right? One accident, one tragedy, and that's why you're here."
With gas prices climbing almost daily and with hybrid vehicles taking to the road more and more each day, it is no surprise such a presentation was held to help assist firefighters. An MSNBC report published April 21 says U.S. registrations of new hybrid vehicles rose 38 percent in 2007 to a record 350,289, according to data released by R.L. Polk & Co., a Southfield-based automotive marketing and research company. In 2007, the Toyota Prius was the best selling hybrid, according to the same MSNBC report, commanding 51 percent of the hybrid market, up from 43 percent in 2006.