FDNY and UL Workshop

Considerations for promoting the safe utilization of various lithium-ion battery technologies in the advancement of public policy initiatives in today’s world

In today’s world, it can be a struggle for professionals tasked with ensuring product safety, certification, and global compliance to keep pace with rapidly evolving technological innovations and the new risks they bring challenging fire department response.

Among other challenges, the fire service is facing a variety of alternative energy sources for the built environment, electric vehicles (EV) and micromobility devices, all utilizing lithium-ion batteries. Not only have these technological innovations changed the way people move around, lithium-ion batteries are used in another increasingly common application: Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).

This session will focus on the rapidly growing use of EVs and BESS with a focus on potential hazards for responding firefighters and best practices for preparation, response and post event actions to safely handle lithium-ion battery involved fires.

The first part of the presentation will introduce the basics of lithium-ion battery technology and demonstrate why they fail and how failure affects fire dynamics and fire suppression; creating new risks and challenges for the first responder.

The second part of the presentation will provide an update on the current state of the battery powered technology industry and the regulatory environment with an eye to future developments. There is an important role that all stakeholders can play in the model code, standard, and regulatory process to help ensure the risks associated with these new and innovative technologies are properly mitigated for a safe deployment.

Finally, the presentation will discuss the importance for early project involvement of firefighters (first responders) to address both public policy and safety objectives through a collaborative approach.  Examples of current best practices for responding fire fighters based on the latest scientific research for suppression and lessons learned for past events will be shared.