How first responders prepare for (rare) EV fires

Summary

Climate Connections Podcast Summary

Episode Title: How first responders prepare for (rare) EV fires
Date: May 25, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz

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Brief Overview

This episode of Climate Connections explores how first responders are preparing to handle electric vehicle (EV) fires—an unlikely but not impossible event as EVs become increasingly common on the roads. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz interviews Jack Voltz from Safety and Security Consultation Specialists, who provides specialized EV safety training for emergency crews in Minnesota and beyond.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Electric Vehicles are Statistically Safer

• Research indicates that EVs are far less likely to catch fire compared to traditional gas-powered cars.
• Despite the lower fire risk, it's essential for first responders to be ready for all scenarios, including rare EV fires.
  • (00:01-00:19) Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz: “Research shows that electric vehicles are far less likely to catch fire than gas powered cars. But firefighters must be prepared, even for unlikely events.”

2. The Importance of Specialized EV Training

• Jack Voltz conducts safety training sessions for first responders to demystify how EVs function and teach crucial procedures in emergency scenarios.
  • (00:19-00:38) Jack Voltz: “A lot of the responders don't understand how these vehicles are put together, the amount of safeties that are built into them. They're actually an extremely safe vehicle.”
• The classes include:
  • How EVs are constructed.
  • Built-in safety features that protect both occupants and responders.
  • Step-by-step guidance on disabling EVs in an emergency.

3. Unique Firefighting Tactics for EVs

• Standard firefighting techniques are not always applicable to EVs.
• Special attention is needed for:
  • Battery placement (usually under the vehicle).
  • Appropriate cooling methods and tactics to prevent battery reignition.
    • (00:48-00:58) Jack Voltz: “The tactics we need to use to extinguish or control this fire are different than what we're used to using on an internal combustion engine car.”
    • (01:02-01:07) Jack Voltz: “Most commonly it is underneath the car. So just trying to cool that.”

4. Preparing for a Growing EV Presence

• As EV adoption increases, first responders’ knowledge and preparedness are crucial.
• Being proactive about understanding the risks greatly enhances safety for both firefighters and the public.
  • (01:13-01:20) Jack Voltz: “If we know the hazards and we know how to control them, we can be very safe when we're working with any incident.”

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On misconceptions about EVs:
  “A lot of the responders don't understand how these vehicles are put together, the amount of safeties that are built into them. They're actually an extremely safe vehicle.”
  — Jack Voltz, 00:30

• On adapting firefighting tactics:
  “The tactics we need to use to extinguish or control this fire are different than what we're used to using on an internal combustion engine car.”
  — Jack Voltz, 00:48

• On being prepared:
  “If we know the hazards and we know how to control them, we can be very safe when we're working with any incident.”
  — Jack Voltz, 01:13

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Important Timestamps

• 00:01: Introduction — EV fire risks vs. gas-powered vehicles
• 00:30: Voltz on safety misconceptions and built-in EV protections
• 00:48: Fire-specific challenges and tactics with EVs
• 01:02: Locating and managing the EV battery
• 01:13: Preparing for a future with more EVs

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Tone

The conversation remains calm, pragmatic, and instructional, reflecting both the expertise of the interviewee and the informative nature of the Climate Connections podcast. Dr. Leiserowitz’s concise yet insightful hosting complements Jack Voltz’s direct, reassuring explanations.

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For more information on climate change:
Visit climateconnections.org

Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. Research shows that electric vehicles are far less likely to catch fire than gas powered cars. But firefighters must be prepared, even for unlikely events. So Jack Voltz of Safety and Security Consultation Specialists provides EV safety training to first responders in his home state of Minnesota and beyond. In his classes, he teaches trainees how EVs work.

[B]

A lot of the responders don't understand how these vehicles are put together, the amount of safeties that are built into them. They're actually an extremely safe

[A]

vehicle. Then they learn how to respond to emergencies involving EVs. They're shown how to disable the cars and what to do in the rare case an EV does catch fire.

[B]

The tactics we need to use to extinguish or control this fire are different than what we're used to using on an internal combustion engine car.

[A]

For example, he says firefighters must know where an EV battery is housed.

[B]

Most commonly it is underneath the car. So just trying to cool that.

[A]

Volt says that as EVs rapidly gain popularity, first responders need to know how to handle them.

[B]

If we know the hazards and we know how to control them, we can be very safe when we're working with any incident.

[A]

Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.