As EVs and charging stations become more prevalent in Alabama and across the nation, emergency responders need to be equipped and prepared to respond to emergencies involving EVs, especially lithium-ion batteries. Alabama Fire Protection College We are working to ensure Alabama's first and second responders are trained on how to properly respond to battery-related emergencies.

Lithium-ion batteries don't just power traditional cars, they're used in everything from cordless power tools to bikes, scooters and hoverboards. Unlike EVs, many of these smaller products are imported from overseas without undergoing safety testing or certification, The resulting fires could be devastating..

This leads some to believe that EVs are not as safe as gasoline-powered cars, when in fact, EVs and their battery packs must meet the same standards. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards As with all other vehicles. National Transportation Safety Board, EV is Low risk of fire Electric vehicles have a higher fire rate than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Data shows that electric vehicles had just 25 fires per 100,000 units sold. For comparison, ICE vehicles had 1,530 fires per 100,000 units.

More than 80 percent of Alabama’s 1,168 fire departments are made up of volunteers, making them the first line of defense against battery fires, but many career and most volunteer fire departments don’t have the capacity or budget to prioritize battery-specific training.

To meet this new challenge, the Alabama Fire College is dedicating personnel and other resources to developing and delivering battery emergency response training materials to Alabama's first and second responders. Because this technology is new and rapidly evolving, the Alabama Fire College and Alabama's first responders are not the only ones in need of this type of training.

of Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition The Alabama Fire Protection College (ACFC) recently led an effort to bring together the Alabama Fire Protection College with 26 other state fire training organizations and coalitions. The group: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) We are seeking to apply for a federal grant to update and provide best-in-class training materials to emergency responders across the country. Existing resources, including materials previously developed by NFPA, can be found in the U.S. Department of Energy website.

of Alabama Energy Institute (EIA) is also focusing on how industry can step in and provide much-needed support on this issue.

As EVs continue to gain market share across the U.S., this industry will increasingly be a driver of our state's economy. Just look at Mercedes-Benz in Tuscaloosa, they're employing thousands of Alabamians in quality jobs with electric vehicles. And they're just getting started. As more and more electric vehicles continue to hit the roads, we need our emergency responders to be prepared.

As the transportation landscape continues to change and become increasingly electrified, Alabama must adapt and create a safe environment for emergency responders and people traveling the state’s roads.

Gerald Allen represents Alabama's 21st District (Tuscaloosa, Pickens and Lamar Counties) in the Alabama State Senate.