| NFPA recruits Fire Service Technical Panel to support Electric Vehicle Safety Training Program |
NFPA announced that panel will support development of new program for emergency responders.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced the creation of a Fire Service Technical Panel recruited to assist with the organization’s development of a safety training program to help emergency responders prepare for the growing number of electric vehicles on the road in the United States. The 14-member panel represents the first responder community and will provide insight and guidance throughout the course of the project.
The panel and NFPA will work in conjunction with the Fire Protection Research Foundation (Foundation) to identify the unique challenges first responders’ face when dealing with electric vehicles in emergency situations. The research effort will address these potential risks and provide guidance for emergency response best practices and ways to address future developments in alternative-fueled vehicles.
“This panel will play a crucial role in the development of the electric vehicle training program,” said Casey Grant, the program director of the Foundation leading the panel. “We have assembled a broad team of experts who will provide invaluable insight on the perspectives of the fire fighter and first responder communities, and help guide the dissemination and implementation of the project deliverables.”
The Fire Service Technical Panel roster includes: Gregg Cleveland, NFPA Fire Service Section; John Cunningham, North America Fire Training Directors (NAFTD); Rich Duffy, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF); Bob Hendricks, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs; Larry McKenna, United States Fire Administration (USFA); Jim Narva, National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM); Steve Pegram, IAFC and International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI); Al Rosamond, National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC); Tony Sanfilippo, International Fire Marshals Association (IFMA); Jim Carroll, NAFTD; Karen Deppa, NASFM; Mike Gribbin, Metropolitan Fire Chiefs; Victoria Lee, IAFC; and, Ron McGraw, IAFF.
NFPA is creating this safety training program with a federal grant intended to accelerate the manufacture and deployment of electric drive vehicles. The goal of the project is to target the nearly 1.1 million fire service members and other emergency responders in the U.S. with a series of awareness and emergency response training programs. By providing proper training, the program will work to reduce the number of emergency responder and civilian injuries and deaths. The program will also increase the awareness of electric vehicle safety issues among the general public.