This module teaches fire service personnel what to watch out for when responding to residential and commercial fires where lithium-ion batteries are or may be present in consumer products ranging from small items like vape pens to personal mobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. The module dispels common myths and highlights surprising facts about lithium-ion battery fires. Then the module explores the effect of lithium-ion batteries on fireground operations safety practices in hazard awareness, PPE use, entrapment, fire load, and victim injuries. Following that, the module explains the risk of reignition, how it occurs, and what it means for the fire department. The risk of reignition plays into discussion of proper overhaul and removal of compromised lithium-ion batteries. The module concludes with prevention: pre-incident planning that accounts for safe transport, storage, and disposal of damaged lithium-ion batteries and community education to reduce the incidence of lithium-ion battery fires and improve outcomes when fires do occur.

This module does not cover multi-passenger electric and hybrid vehicles.

The Fire Hero Learning Network gratefully acknowledges the FDNY’s Alternative Fuels training program whose Green Energy Emergency Response Course and its instructors guided the development of this module.