There is, of course, another aspect of hybrids and even moreso, all-electric cars that people haven't taken into account much.
They make firefighters and other first responders very skittish, with good reason. They don't want to be electrocuted. If you get into a crash in one, you might be stuck in it for a good while until they can ensure that the battery system is shut off and not likely to blast someone if they use the jaws of life and tear a cable.
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/7445836.html"If it's not handled properly it's gonna kill you"
Story Published: May 10, 2007 at 11:16 PM PDT
Story Updated: May 11, 2007 at 11:36 AM PDT
By Michelle Esteban
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SEATTLE -- Right now, 1.5 percent of all cars sold in the U.S. are hybrids, and in three years that number is expected to be six times higher. At some local dealerships they even have waiting lists for customers who want to purchase a hybrid vehicle.
But what makes these cars so desirable, is also creating an extra danger.
The problem starts right under the hood, where most hybrids have bright orange cables carrying high-voltage electricity between the batteries and engine. Those cables can be a hot zone for firefighters responding to collisions involving hybrids.
Emergency responders have an inherently hazardous job, but the proliferation of hybrid vehicles is adding to the potential dangers they face on a daily basis.
The risk of electrocution is very real.
"If it's not handled properly it's gonna kill you," said Seattle firefighter Tim Clark. "You have to understand what it is you're dealing with."
The combination gas-electric vehicles have up to 500 volts running through them, and can also pose a danger to passengers in a crash.
When firefighters are called to high-speed collisions, they often have to cut drivers and passengers out of the mangled vehicles.
But cut in the wrong place on a hybrid car before the battery is disconnected, and it could result in a lethal shock.
Clark says its just one more thing they have to think about when they're rushing to save lives. "If we don't spend a couple seconds on this, we could end up wishing we had," he said.
Camano Island / Stanwood Fire Chief Darin Reid said that because of the complex electrical systems found in hybrid cars, they don't always behave the same way in a crash as traditional vehicles.
"You could very well have a hybrid car moving while on fire," he said. And because the hybrid's electric motor is silent, firefighters can't always tell if it's running.
Reid said that if rescuers wrongly assume that the engine is off, one wrong move could launch the hybrid into drive, with the victim still inside and firefighters on or near the vehicle.
Fore the last seven years, Reid has been teaching everything he knows about hybrids to Washington firefighters. There are some standard do's and don'ts, but he reminds everyone that not all hybrids are the same. The electrical systems vary from one manufacturer to another.
"No company puts the wiring in the same spot," Reid said.
So, many fire departments often rely on the Internet when responding to crashes involving hybrid vehicles. It's not uncommon for firefighters to call up a manufacturer's web site so they can double-check the car's emergency response guidelines.
Matt Stroud, a safety instructor with Toyota, spends much of his time training firefighters on how to safely deal with a Prius at the scene of a crash.
Firefighters will often take field trips to area dealerships to practice disconnecting the car's electrical system.
"All hybrids, including the Prius, have a built-in safety system that's supposed to turn the car off if it's in a crash," Stroud said.
But the hybrid isn't fully safe until the battery is disconnected.
"You've still got a boost factor of 500 volts," Stroud said, referring to a situation when the engine has shut down, but the batteries are still sending electricity through the cables.
In March, a hybrid vehicle crashed into a convenience store in Tacoma and caught fire. Firefighters extinguished the flames, but because they were worried the car was still energized, they called a local dealership to walk them through disconnecting the battery.
Safety is so important to Stroud, he's writing an emergency pocket guide for firefighters -- the first of its kind. Seattle firefighters will be the first in the nation to get the guide.
Reid says the risks are manageable, but that it's crucial to educate rescuers. "When seconds do count, it's a lot less scary if firefighters know what they're up against."
Tim Clark doesn't think it will be much of a problem for area firefighters.
"It's a challenge," he said, "but we like that kind of thing."
