Training Seminar - Emergency Responder Safety at Roadway Incidents Involving Electric Vehicles (EVs)

Description

Emergency Responder Safety at Roadway Incidents Involving 

Electric Vehicles (EVs) 

Saturday, January 17, 2026 - Brookhaven Fire Company, 2 Cambridge Road, Brookhaven, PA 19015  

Electric vehicles (EVs) introduce unique hazards that directly impact roadway safety and incident duration. Beyond the high-voltage risks, EVs present challenges in "silent" movement, extended on-scene times due to battery cooling, and complex towing logistics that increase responder exposure to moving traffic. 

This course prepares responders to manage these risks using updated Traffic Incident Management (TIM) protocols, EV-specific tactical positioning, and hands-on RealScene XR scenario operations. 

By the end of this course, participants will be able to: 

1. Identify EV propulsion types and high-voltage components to assess immediate scene risks. 
2. Apply "Time = Risk" principles to EV incidents, recognizing how extended cooling and rigging times affect exposure. 
3. Establish "Acoustic Safety" protocols to prevent struck-by injuries from silent, energized vehicles. 
4. Execute safe fire attack strategies that account for limited highway water supply logistics and lane preservation. 
5. Conduct hazard assessments for "Stranded Energy" in collisions and compromised battery packs. 
6. Perform safe disablement and extrication, accounting for vehicle lurching risks. 
7. Use RealScene XR simulations to practice apparatus positioning for long-duration events. 
8. Integrate multi-agency operations (Fire/EMS/Police/Towing) to protect tow operators during complex loading procedures. 

Instructor: Todd Leiss, Deputy Director of Training Emergency Responder Safety Institute.  

Format: In-person, Instructor-Led, VR-Assisted

Duration: 3 hours (Includes RealScene XR Application)