By Rick Edinger
A dance card was a device used in the 18th century by women to record whom they intended to dance with during large balls and other such events. In modern times, it has become a metaphor for scheduling an event or meeting for people with busy schedules.
For emergency responders, it has come to mean all the various threats and hazards that need to be accounted for and are challenging response organizations. In short, what’s coming up next?
For the past several years, emergency response organizations have been busy adapting to emerging technologies that present new threats, hazards and risks. Primary among them is renewable energy storage using rechargeable batteries, particularly the lithium-ion batteries found in electric vehicles and mobility devices.
On a smaller scale, battery energy storage systems (BESS) have also presented some challenges, although certainly not to the extent of the Li batteries’ hazards. This is largely due to the current scale of use for BESS technologies.
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For the fire service and hazmat response communities, what began a few years ago as a blank slate with little training resources and best practices is now slowly evolving into an environment where various informational resources and training capabilities have been developed.
Much of this work was done using the lessons of “hard knocks”, trying various incident management techniques, tools and technologies to determine what works or doesn’t. Emergency responders are still lacking a comprehensive, systematic standard for managing these hazards, but work is continuing in this area.
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With this progress the question then arises, what’s next? Undoubtedly, the energy technology sector is rapidly changing with various efforts underway to steer toward less carbon-based fuel sources. Firefighters, hazmat personnel and other emergency responders should be peeking ahead to avoid some of the surprises that were encountered with the introduction of electric vehicles and mobility devices.
If you’re an emergency responder, here’s what your dance card may look like in the coming years.
More electric vehicles
These will have varying forms of battery technology. Lithium-ion batteries are being refined to become more stable and efficient. And there are also several new battery technologies in various stages of development that are purported to be less expensive and have better performance characteristics than Li batteries.
Bigger electric vehicles
Vehicle fleets are transitioning to battery technologies, meaning larger vehicles with larger batteries will be on the road. Many public transit and school bus fleets are already converted or are in the process of converting to battery technologies for their drive trains.
More juice
With the proliferation of electric vehicles comes the need for charging networks. As the numbers of charging stations grow on both a consumer and industrial scale, more of these stations will be in public areas subject to the environment, accidents, vandalism, and other bad outcomes likely to generate the need for emergency response. The amount of electricity needed for larger, fleet sized vehicles is significant, and the associated hazards will present the need for additional awareness and training for the fire service.
More batteries being made
Concurrently, there are opportunities for people to make money in refurbished battery sales and repair markets. As seen in New York City, the lack of safety standards for the refurbishment, repair and use of after-market batteries coupled with the availability of unsafe aftermarket (non OEM) components, and ill trained people doing this work has resulted in fires with catastrophic outcomes. As the scale and widespread use of rechargeable batteries grow, likely so will these problems unless addressed at the national and local levels.
More alternative fueled vehicles
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are already developed and in use in many countries. Liquified natural gas and compressed natural gas currently fuel thousands of vehicles throughout the world and will become more common as these technologies are refined. Thankfully, there are already training resources available for these technologies.
More BESS
Currently, battery energy storage systems are most often found in industrial settings. In the future, expect to find these everywhere, including residential installations. For example, Tesla has recently made its Powerwall system available to residential customers. Firefighters are used to waiting on the power company to isolate power during building fires or pull an electric meter to ensure the safety of people in harm’s way. Having a box in a garage or exterior wall with significant stored energy and which is connected to the external energy grid will require training and adaptation of existing, long-standing electrical safety practices.
More alternative energy sources
By most accounts, deriving energy from the wind is struggling to become a standard source of power generation. However, if you’ve traveled the country, wind turbines have become a more common sight. Solar power generation is already in wide use and being refined. Solar panel fields and solar panels arrays on commercial, industrial, and residential rooftops are becoming a common sight. These installations have grown larger in scale as economic incentives and technological improvements have evolved. With more BESS technology being deployed, fire service organizations should consider training on the hazards and risks of these technologies so they are prepared when bad things happen.
This dance card is by no means the entire list of things to be concerned about for fire service organizations and hazardous materials responders. More and different energy technologies are being developed every day. Smart grids, energy management systems, carbon capture and small nuclear reactors are also on the horizon.
Each one of the energy technologies noted has a fire hazard and many also have electric hazards as well as the potential for a hazardous materials exposure if the components of these systems are damaged or degraded. Many people in emergency response and public safety were caught off guard by the lithium-ion battery challenges. But we’re now aware and there is certainly an opportunity to address this new world of energy technology head on if we so choose.
The energy industry is actively embracing new technologies, and efforts are underway to enhance safety, efficiency, and standardization. The fire service and hazmat response communities should keep pace with these changes to ensure the safety of responders and the public. It’s like a dance where everyone is learning the steps as they go.
About the Author Rick Edinger is a retired deputy fire chief and chairman of NFPA Hazardous Materials/WMD Response Standards Committee. To learn more, follow Chief Edinger on LinkedIn.
