The imminent arrival of electric vehicles (EV) in Canada will usher in a new era and everyone dealing with cars – from consumers to maintenance workers – will have to adjust to this phenomenon. Emergency response crews will also have to adapt their work methods and knowledge in order to effectively help EV owners in a variety of situations.
In the U.S., the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) teamed up with General Motors to teach first responders specifically how to deal with the Chevrolet Volt.
Firefighters, paramedics and police officers are learning the location of cut points for the extraction of occupants. Since high-strength steel is used in certain areas of most EVs, being able to identify them is important when it comes to knowing the right tools to use when responding to an incident.
The training course also includes power shut-off procedures and precautions to take around the lithium-ion battery packs. And because EVs use silent motors, first responders will have to get used to not relying on their ears to know if the power is still on.
Slowly but surely, the Americans are embracing EVs and their unique characteristics. Canadians will soon follow suit as the Volt, Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi i-MiEV land on our market.
Source: Gizmag
In the U.S., the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) teamed up with General Motors to teach first responders specifically how to deal with the Chevrolet Volt.
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| 2011 Chevrolet Volt (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
Firefighters, paramedics and police officers are learning the location of cut points for the extraction of occupants. Since high-strength steel is used in certain areas of most EVs, being able to identify them is important when it comes to knowing the right tools to use when responding to an incident.
The training course also includes power shut-off procedures and precautions to take around the lithium-ion battery packs. And because EVs use silent motors, first responders will have to get used to not relying on their ears to know if the power is still on.
Slowly but surely, the Americans are embracing EVs and their unique characteristics. Canadians will soon follow suit as the Volt, Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi i-MiEV land on our market.
Source: Gizmag