NFRS 2023 94 - Lithium-ion batteries

You asked for

I would like to request the following information:

1. How may fires have your Service attended which involved electric or Hybrid vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries between the following dates 1/1/21 –1/11/23?
2. Of these fires attended in how many of these was the cause recorded as a fault on the lithium-ion battery?
3. Of the fires attended how many involved the lithium battery cells?
4. Has your Service developed specific operational procedures for dealing with fires involving lithium-ion batteries?
5. Has your service purchased any specific equipment/extinguishing/PPE agents to deal with fires involving lithium-ion batteries?
6. Does your Service provide specific training to operational crews who may be called to fires involving lithium-ion batteries?
7. Where lithium-ion batteries are involved in RTA’s persons trapped, do you adopt any specific measures to isolate the potential battery ignition risk?
8. Has your Service initiated any specific information gathering exercise on fires attended involving lithium-ion batteries?

I would like you to provide this information in the following format: PDF via email

Our Response

1. How may fires have your Service attended which involved electric or Hybrid vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries between the following dates 1/1/21 – 1/11/23?

   Answer: - 6 electric vehicle fires recorded during the time period. Please note our systems are not capable of recording if the vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

2. Of these fires attended in how many of these was the cause recorded as a fault on the lithium-ion battery?

   Answer: - No Information Held, our systems are not capable of recording if the vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

3. Of the fires attended how many involved the lithium battery cells?

   Answer: - No Information Held, our systems are not capable of recording if the vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries.

4. Has your Service developed specific operational procedures for dealing with fires involving lithium-ion batteries?

   Answer: - No Information Held, no specific operation procedure has been developed by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service. However, national operational guidance is followed as per the National Fire Chief Council recommendations.

5. Has your service purchased any specific equipment/extinguishing/PPE agents to deal with fires involving lithium-ion batteries?

   Answer: - No Information Held, no specific equipment equipment/extinguishing/PPE agents to deal with fires involving lithium-ion batteries have been purchased.

6. Does your Service provide specific training to operational crews who may be called to fires involving lithium-ion batteries?

   Answer: - Yes, lithium-ion battery fire awareness training has been provided by a series of presentations delivered by flexi-duty officers to all operational crews.

7. Where lithium-ion batteries are involved in RTA’s persons trapped, do you adopt any specific measures to isolate the potential battery ignition risk?

   Answer: - Yes, where possible, isolation of power supplies to vehicles involved in RTCs is part of the standard procedures used by crews. eLearning training is provided for crews covering that and all fire appliances have access to vehicle data that can be used to help identify isolation points for vehicles.

8. Has your Service initiated any specific information gathering exercise on fires attended involving lithium-ion batteries?

   Answer: - Yes, where a li-ion battery is thought to be the cause of a fire, crews are expected to report this internally using an agreed form. This information is used in relation to the ongoing work of the services li-ion and electric vehicle working group.