Cleveland firefighters responded to an occupied house fire on Arbor Road north of St. Clair in B6.
See story on page 4
Fighting EV Fires
SOPpoints to be considered when fighting electric vehicle (EV)fires.
See story on page 8
Glendale Assist
Wyoming
Glendale E45 and C4501 assisted City of Wyoming Fire and EMS with a structure fire on Fleming Road.
See story on page 14
Pets Killed in 2-Alarm Fire in Lima
The Lima Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment unit inside a duplex on South Elizabeth Street.
See story on page 15
Preplanning for Large Vessel Fires
Cleveland Fire Engine 2/Marine 21 familiarized themselves for emergency boarding of large passenger vessels.
See story on page 19
Delaware County EMS Notches a Decade of Cardiac-Care Awards
See story on page 20
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Total Loss in Cleveland House Fire
On September5, 2024, Cleveland firefighters responded to an occupied house fire on ArborRoad north of St. Clairin B6. One adult female resident was safely out, and was assisted by Red Cross. The
fire started on the Second floorporch and spread into the house which was a total loss. The cause was underinvestigation.
- Photos courtesy of Cleveland FD
Difficult Blaze on Staddens Bridge Rd.
Recently, Madison Fire was dispatched to Staddens Bridge Road on a report of a working residential structure fire with fire and smoke visible to the caller. The paid staff was responding with the tanker in two minutes of dispatch. Upon arrival of Tanker101 and Chief 111, they found a fully involved house fire with fire and smoke showing from doors, windows; the fire had already burned through the roof. The crew began attacking the fire with a crosslay and once backup and extra waterarrived, a deck gun was used to knock the majority of the fire down. There was a small unburned area known to responders to be a storage area which was searched forpossible survivors which had to be accessed by a window as the doorwas heavily reinforced. Crews experienced hoarding conditions which complicated extinguishment. There was a difficult fire to reach in an attic space on the right side of the structure which was not able
to be accessed due to a live powerline drop. Ammunition and other explosions were heard coming from the structure at various points throughout the fire. The powercompany was contacted early on to disconnect the power, but due to the time of day they had an extended ETA. Mutual aid came from multiple departments. The Sheriff’s Office was requested fortraffic control as both lanes were used, one forfire trucks fighting the fire orin staging, and the otherlane for tankers to refill trucks on scene. Thank you to everyone who assisted. Although the structure was thoroughly soaked and a liberal amount of foam applied, crews were summoned back to the scene twice forspot fires. The township’s road department was requested to remove fallen walls, roof structure, and otherlarge debris which was allowing forvoid spaces underthe rubble to rekindle.
- Photos courtesy of Madison Township Fire & EMS
Drone Helps with Fire Extinguishment
Recently, the American Township Fire Department was dispatched to a house fire on West Lincoln Highway. Dispatchers relayed information that the fire was spreading through a large portion of the house, so a second alarm was called priorto arrival, bringing mutual aid from Delphos Fire Rescue, Kalida VolunteerFire Department, and Fort Jennings VolunteerFire Department. First arriving crews got a great knock on the fire from the exteriorbefore
additional crews went. We also had Les Bowen from Elite Drone Services LLC on scene giving us great info using video and thermal imaging from the air. The cause is underinvestigation. There were no injuries to occupants orfirefighters. Thank you to ourmutual aid, Les Bowen, and AEPfortheirhelp on scene.
- Photos courtesy of American Township FD
Being Prepared forEVFires
By Matthew Pruitt EVGoat01@gmail.com
Firefighters are no strangers to new technologies. In fact, most of us pride ourselves on being able to improve our tactics and strategies using the most up-to-date, state-ofthe-art equipment. It’s really no different in any other industry. Since the late 90s, car manufacturers around the world have been working tirelessly to bring consumers an engine that is safe, energy efficient, and great for our environment. The internal combustion engine evolution from the Model T, to the Prius and now to fully electric vehicles has created a need in the fire service to be prepared for some of the most dangerous, albeit somewhat low frequency, fires we’ve ever encountered. The infrequency and increased risk of electric vehicle fires makes it impossible to ignore and necessary to train for.
Extinguishing the typical, traditional car fire is pretty straightforward. We pull a bumper line, and go to work. Electric vehicle fires are vastly different, as you will read in this article. Extrication of a patient trapped inside an electric vehicle is delicate, for sure. You have to be extremely careful when cutting on an electric vehicle. The orange cables may be charged if the car’s safety mechanism has failed. Also the top of the battery tray, which is basically the entire floorpan of the car, could be charged. And, in my experience, thermal runaway can begin as soon as an external source - the accident or your extrication equipment - damages the battery, so you have to consider how long it has been since the accident happened. In addition, when fighting EV fires, it seems that the more water we put on them, the longer they burn. That’s true actually because the water only cools the battery cells, and will simply slow down the fire, causing it to last for hours and hours because, when burning, lithium-ion batteries create their own oxygen. Just like a fish is able to “breathe” underwater, so is a lithium-ion battery. You can’t drown either one of them.
lably hot and propagates to the next cell, eventually spreading to all the cells in the module. Even at the point of ignition, there may be no way to know where, exactly, the problem starts.
Also, unlike traditional car fires, when an EVis in thermal runaway, the motor (s) lock down. As you may know, an electric car’s battery weighs at least 1,000 pounds by itself. When added to the regular weight of a car, you’re looking at a paper weight that weighs up to 9,000 pounds. This excessive weight of a car with locked wheels presents a plethora of difficulties, to say the least.
So, what do we do? How do we fight an EVfire? What are the safest and most effective tactics?
After having the opportunity to train on live EVfires in controlled environments, and having responded to multiple EVrelated incidents, we have been able to test some strategies. Some have worked better than others. I’d like to share with you some of the most impactful takeaways from my experiences.
(this is only the latest measurement of an EV fire temp, it could be hotter).
First and foremost, you will need to always make sure to wear your gear when approach-
“The heat of a Li-Ion battery fire is a threat, but an equally dangerous threat is the toxic emissions from the fire”
The heat of a Li-Ion battery fire is a threat, but an equally dangerous threat is the toxic emissions from the fire. You need to be aware that Li-Ion batteries in thermal runaway can give off hydrogen fluoride gas. When we apply water to the gas, it becomes hydrofluoric acid. Hydrofluoric acid is a colorless, odorless liquid that is acutely dangerous. It can damage your eyes, your lungs and your skin. The danger is that hydrofluoric acid is slow burning. You may not have symptoms of exposure for several hours.
Another difference is that getting water to the origin of the fire is nearly impossible. The composition of an electric vehicle battery tray looks something like this: thousands of battery cells are put together in water-tight sets called modules, the modules are placed into a battery tray which is encapsulated in a watertight shell. There are vents in the tray to allow smoke and gases to escape, but the vents will not allow water or foam inside the tray. Think of a battery failure inside the tray like a winddriven fire. One damaged cell gets uncontrol-
ing a wrecked electric vehicle, even if you don’t see fire or smoke. I have witnessed an electric vehicle go from not burning, to fully involved, within minutes. On the other hand, I have also seen this progression take several hours. Time starts the instant that the battery is damaged, not when you learn about the incident. When you respond to an EVemergency, you have to be dispatched, get out of the station and make it to the scene. You may not know the exact timeline, so it’s always best practice to be safe and wear your gear. It is also important to consider how hot an EV fire actually is. An electric vehicle that is in thermal runaway can burn as hot as 2700°F
Now, you’re on scene, have your gear on, and you’re ready to put some water on the fire. What’s best? In my experience, I have found the use of an EVblanket to be vitally important. The EVblanket is designed to limit the oxygen available to the fire, but the burning batteries create their own oxygen so the blanket itself will not extinguish the fire. Before deploying the blanket, you must knock down the fire on the inside of the vehicle just like you would on a traditional car fire. This step immediately begins cooling the car so that it will be less likely to burn through the blanket. Once the car is extinguished, throw the blanket over the vehicle. Make sure to throw the blanket high so that it is not damaged by sharp edges or parts of the vehicle that may be protruding. EV blankets, depending on the brand (Continued on next page)
Being Prepared for EVFires...continued
and type, come in a variety of sizes. Depending on the brand of blanket that your department uses, your team may need to open up the blanket before use to mark the front, rear and center. Some brands of EVblankets have already marked the front and rear of the blanket for you, which would save you a step. Sometimes EV blankets are rectangular, rather than square, which can cause difficulty on scene if you have not previously marked them. Once the blanket is deployed and covering the car, tuck it under the vehicle to keep it from blowing up so that it will continue to limit the oxygen that the fire can use. It is very important to keep the blanket cool. The best way to do that is with the line you used to knock down the fire initially.
I also recommend, and have had great success with, an EVnozzle placed under the car with a second line. Again, you are not trying to put out the fire, you can’t. The fire has to burn itself out. The purpose of the EVnozzle is to cool the battery tray. Cooling the tray will not extinguish the fire, but it will make the scene safer and more manageable. You do not really want to cool the battery too much because it will only prolong the incident. I recommend using an EVnozzle with low gallonage because it cools the battery while still allowing it to burn safely.
from previous page
Using these tactics have been successful for us in the past. I am often asked about the time frame between extinguishing the fire and moving the car from the scene. Although there is no good way to determine with absolute certainty that it is completely safe to move the damaged vehicle, I do have a few tips and tricks that might help. The first, and most obvious, is that there is no visible sign of fire, including no evidence of smoke or off-gassing. Make sure, too, that you no longer hear the sounds of cells popping (sounds like popcorn in the microwave). In addition, it may be helpful to monitor the temperature reduction of the battery using a Thermal Imaging Camera. Although nothing is for certain, in my experience, my crew and I have been able to safely transport a damaged vehicle after a couple of hours. This may seem like a long, drawn-out event, but this method is much quicker than submerging the vehicle into a large, watertight container - a separate method of EVfirefighting that can take several days to weeks before the vehicle is safe and is not necessarily feasi-
ble in a crowded city or on the side of the interstate.
“The fire has to burn itself out. The purpose of the EVnozzle is to cool the battery tray. Cooling the tray will not extinguish the fire, but it will make the scene safer and more manageable.”
Still, if you move too quickly then the threat of reignition is very great due to the stranded energy in the batteries. Stranded energy is when the batteries have not expelled all of their energy. Since the cells are already damaged, stranded energy in them creates a greater threat of reignition. This threat is why it is important that you escort the tow. If the car reignites while being towed, disconnect it from the tow truck so you don’t have two car fires. Knock down the fire and then continue the tow, Make sure to tell the tow yard management that the car you’re leaving with them is an electric vehicle.
Ultimately, the decisions you make on a fire scene belong to you and your department. These suggestions have worked for my department. We have had great successes when dealing with EVincidents using these strategies and tactics. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to reach out to me at EVGoat01@gmail.com.
Long Fight at Youngstown Commercial Blaze
On July 6, 2024, Youngstown firefighters spent about five hours fighting a large stubborn commercial fire.
- Submitted by Tommy Gibbs
OSHAUPDATE
As you are aware, the New York State Association of Fire Districts, under the leadership of 2nd Vice President David Dennison has been following the progress of OSHA’s proposed amendment of the Fire Brigade Standard, which would create a new Emergency Response Standard (29 CFR Part 1910 [Docket No. OSHA-2007-0073] RIN 1218-AC91 Emergency Response Standard].
Mr. Dennison has led a committee on which other association officers, directors and staff have participated, who have, requested that OSHA reconsider the proposed rule. The committee and other fire service groups have been successful in obtaining two extensions of the comment period. This has resulted in many comments being submitted to OSHAwhich you can read on its webpage.
Most recently, OSHAhas published a notice of a public hearing in the Federal Register [2024-16126.pdf (govinfo.gov)]. It has noted that: “OSHAis scheduling an informal public hearing on its proposed rule ‘Emergency Response Standard.’The public hearing will begin November 12, 2024 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.”.
It notes further:“Informal public hearing: The hearing will be held virtually and will begin on November 12, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. ET. If necessary, the hearing will continue from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. ET, On subsequent weekdays.”
Preliminary information on how to participate in the public hearing is also provided on the site:
“Notice of Intention to Appear (NOITA). ANOITAmust be submitted electronically at https://www.osha.gov/emergency-response/rulemaking. Follow the instructions online for making electronic submissions. Those who file a NOITAmust also submit electronic copies of all documents that they intend to use or reference during their testimony. Information about how and when to submit these materials will be provided at the time of registration.”
We will continue to keep our membership informed on this important matter.
Patches
Maumee Fire
Washington Township Fire Department
Glendale Assists Wyoming
Glendale E45 and C4501 assisted City of Wyoming Fire and EMS with a structure fire on Fleming Road recently. Crews assisted with vertical ventilation, gave a roof report, and assisted with a pet rescue. - Photos courtesy of Glendale FD
3 Pets Die in Loveland Fire
Loveland-Symmes Fire Department along with first-alarm aid companies (Deerfield, Goshen, and Miami townships, along with Milford, Montgomery and Sharonville cities) responded on July 15, 2024, to a one-alarm fire in the City of Loveland. There were three pet fatalities and one civilian injury. - Photo courtesy Loveland-Symmes FD
Pets Killed in 2-Alarm Fire in Lima
1 Injured in American MVA
The Lima Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment unit inside a duplex in the 700 block of South Elizabeth Street. When firefighters arrived, a second alarm was declared. According to Lima Fire personnel on the scene, all people were accounted for, as the tenant was at work when the fire erupted inside the apartment. There were five cats and one dog inside the unit where the blaze broke out, and one dog in the otherunit. Tragically, two cats and one dog died. It was believed the fire was likely caused by a stovetop left on in the kitchen.
- Fire News photos by Richard Parrish
The American Township Fire Department was recently dispatched to the intersection of Elm Street and Eastown Road foran MVAwith injuries. Two vehicles were found with heavy front-end damage, and each vehicle had one occupant, with neitherentrapped. The driverof the one carwas taken to Lima Memorial Hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The driverof the second refused transport. The accident was underinvestigation by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
- Photo courtesy of ATFD
Carinto House in Lima
Recently, the Lima Fire and Police departments responded to the 200 block of Pine Street, where a carstruck the front of a home and destroyed a wall. According to the Lima FD, the driverwas heading southbound on Pine Street when they lost control of the vehicle. The driveronly sustained minorinjuries, and the residents were not home during the crash. The incident was under investigation. - Fire News photo by Richard Parrish
Well, That’s a Mess!
Gorham Fayette Fire and Rescue was dispatched fora vehicle rolloverMVAwith two vehicles involved. One was a semi carrying waterbased white paint in five-gallon buckets, all of which broke open. Abig thank you to Morenci Fire fortheirassistance with manpowerand equipment. It’s great to have two departments work so well together.
- Photo courtesy of Gorham Fayette FR
Milton Trains on SAR Scenarios
On June 1 and 2, 2024, Milton Township hosted the Ohio State Mobile Search and Rescue trailer. Departments from Edinburgh, Palmyra and Deerfield came to train on forcible entry, search techniques and confined space and teamwork, working with people from otherdepartments. - Submitted by Lt. Dunn, Jr.
Green Perrysville Gets New Forcible Entry DoorProp
On September5, 2024, the Green-Perrysville Joint Fire District announced the acquisition of an Alpha Doorforcible entry prop, made possible through a generous grant provided by TC Energy. This state-of-the-art training equipment, manufactured by Forge Fire and Company, will significantly enhance the training capabilities of ourfirefighters, enabling them to hone theirskills in a safe and controlled environment. The Alpha Doorprop is a versatile and durable tool designed to simulate a variety of forcible entry scenarios. It allows firefighters to practice essential techniques required for effective entry during emergency situations, improving theirreadiness and response times. The acquisition of this prop underscores ourcommitment to providing the best possible training forourteam, ensuring they are well-prepared to serve and protect ourcommunity. Ourpartnership with TC Energy exemplifies the powerof collaboration between community organizations and local businesses. Together, we are making strides towards a safercommunity by investing in the tools and training ourfirefighters need to perform theirduties safely and effectively.
- Photo courtesy of Green Perrysville Joint Fire District
Preplanning forLarge Vessel Fires
enforcement
and
familiarization/pre-planning
sengervessels
the fire suppression systems and discussed coordinating communications between agencies. Thanks to the captains and crews who welcomed us aboard.
The crew of Cleveland Fire Engine 2/Marine 21 joined various law
partners
the US.Coast Guard-Great Lakes for
foremergency boarding of large pas-
like Goodtime III and Lady Caroline. We also checked
- Photos courtesy of Cleveland FD
Delaware County EMS Notches a Decade of Cardiac-Care Awards
For a full decade, Delaware County’s Emergency Medical Services team has received an award every year from the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program. This year, for the eighth year in a row, it has been their EMS Gold Achievement Award. This national-level honor recognizes prehospital-care agencies around the country that meet the AHA’s standards for rapid and research-based care for the most severe forms of heart attacks and strokes.
“We are very proud to be included in this elite group of honorees,” said Delaware County EMS Director Jeff Fishel. “It truly takes a team - from the 911 dispatcher to the EMTs and paramedics on the ambulances, from our training and CQI departments ensuring the highest levels of training to the collaboration and teamwork with other area first responders. I am proud of, and appreciate them all, for their hard work and dedication to ensuring such great outcomes.”
This year, Delaware County EMS also has received the AHA’s Mission: Lifeline System of Care Target Heart Attack Award, which recognizes outstanding collaboration between prehospital and hospital providers.
Mission: Lifeline EMS is the AHA’s national initiative to advance the system of care for patients with high-risk, timesensitive disease states, such as severe heart attacks and strokes. Nationally, about 10 percent of cardiac-arrest patients (those whose hearts have stopped) are discharged neurologically intact from a hospital. In 2023, 23.08 percent of Delaware County EMS’cardiac-arrest patients were discharged neurologically intact.
- Photo courtesy Delaware County EMS
Pump and Ladder Testing
The Portage Fire District is happy to welcome Emergency Vehicle Products back to ourstation forourannual pump and ground laddertesting. This annual test, along with annual hose testing, ensures that ourequipment is up to the job of protecting ourcommunity. Pumps are being tested to ensure they can deliverthe correct amount of waterwhen needed. Portage currently operates fourrated pumpers, three of which pump 1500 gpm and one that pumps 1250 gpm. Maintaining these ratings help us to keep insurance costs as low as possible.
- Photo courtesy of Portage FD
Bryan Eagles Donate $5Gs
The Gorham Fayette Fire Department would like to thank the Bryan Eagles fortheirgenerous donation of $5000.
- Photo courtesy of Gorham Fayette FD
Safety Services Standby forRally
Girard FD Restarts Ambulance Service
The City of Girard Fire Department (Trumbull County) has revived their ambulance service aftera 20-yearhiatus. The purchase of this unit was made possible by the allocation of ARPfunds from the Trumbull County Commissioners. - Submitted by Chief James Petruzzi
American Township Fire Department (ATFD), Allen County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO), and Allen County EMAprovided safety services fora rally at ClocktowerPlaza with Bernie Mereno and Donald Trump, Jr. We were happy to assist them with theirstop in the area, and Mr. Trump Jr. requested a picture with all of us togetherbefore he left! - Photo courtesy of American Township FD
CFSI SYMPOSIUM AND DINNER
The 35th Annual National Fire and Emergency Services Symposium and Dinner is expected to draw over 1,500 fire and emergency services leaders from across the country. Participants will attend seminars, conduct meetings with their members of Congress and network with their colleagues.
The Symposium and Dinner will be held on February 12 and 13, 2025 at the Marriott Marquis in Washington, DC.
At the conclusion of the two-day event, you will join together in the Washington Hilton ballroom to hear national political leaders paying tribute to the dedication and commitment of our nation's firefighters and emergency services personnel.
Individual tickets are $475 and include a seat at the dinner as well as access to all seminars. If you order before 12/1/24, the Early Bird Sale ticket price is $425. If purchasing 10 or more tickets, please see the table level options on our website. Order tickets at https://cfsi .org/annual-symposium-and-dinner/tickets/.
us at update@cfsi.org if you have any questions.National Fire and Emergency Services Awards Applications OPEN; Apply NOW. Award Applications Are Due by October30, 2024.
The four awards include:
Mason Lankford Fire Service Leadership Award. Sponsored by CFSI and Motorola Solutions, the award recognizes leaders at the national level for their contributions in advocating for our nation's fire and emergency services in the areas of public education, prevention, and response.
The Congressional Fire Services is accepting applications for its 2025 national fire service leadership awards. The four awards, which will be presented at the 2025 National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner on February 13, 2025, recognize individuals and organizations for leadership in fire and life safety. CFSI will cover the travel costs for the recipients to attend the dinner program. Please contact
CFSI/Masimo Excellence in Fire Service-Based EMS Awards Program
Sponsored by CFSI and Masimo, the award recognizes fire departments for innovations in the delivery of emergency medical services.
Dr. Anne W. Phillips Award for Leadership in Fire Safety Education Sponsored by CFSI and the International Fire Service Training Association, the award honors public safety educators for outstanding achievements in fire safety education.
SenatorPaul S. Sarbanes Fire Service Safety Leadership Award. Sponsored by CFSI, the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, VFIS, and ULFire Safety Research Institute, the award recognizes organizations for implementing programs that address firefighter health and safety, using NFFF's 16 Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives as the award criteria.
