Fairfield First Responder EV Training

Photos by Paul Braren

EV Club Members Support First Responders

As more EVs are on the roads, and according to CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, 9% of CT new car sales were plug-in vehicles in 2022, first responders have to be prepared for them and have incorporated them into their training regimen.

That is why several fire departments have reached out to the EV Club to ask if we could EV owners to bring vehicles to their training sessions. Fairfield is the third time we have done this, and owners brought vehicles to 8 training sessions at the Fairfield Regional Fire School to support the training. The trainees benefit from being hands on with an EV where the trainer can show them where the cables are, where they should be clipped, how to make sure a car is off (since there is no telltale engine hum), and other measures necessary to deal with a motor vehicle incident with an EV.

EVs Are Safe

Much safer than a gasoline vehicle. That was what our contact, Assistant Chief Schuyler Sherwood, said, unprompted. But they have high-powered cables and high voltage batteries and one has to be prepared for this.

This is the third training that the EV Club has participated in. The first responders are a highly engaged audience and these sessions are a lot of fun. The first time we did this, we just dropped the cars off. These last two occasions, owners hung out with the class during the training and were able to interact.

We are happy to help the first responders and are glad they understand that EVs are the future.