MIAMI – With the Miami International Auto Show underway, about a hundred first responders from Miami-Dade and Broward Counties attended the second annual first responder forum on Friday.
Their goal is to respond safely to an electric vehicle accident.
It’s estimated that more than 320,000 electric cars were sold in the first quarter of 2023— that’s a 60 percent increase from the same time last year.
Victor White, the Division Chief Fire Department of Miami Beach, told Local 10 News that first responders are starting to see an increase in emergency calls in 2023.
The new style of transportation also calls for a new approach from first responders.
“It’s something that we’re trying to learn on the fly and there’s been some challenges. It’s different than our traditional response policies,” said White.
The use of high-powered lithium-ion batteries and vehicle’s reliant on electric present new dangers to first responders.
“You can be electrocuted if you cut into certain areas of the vehicle,” said Gerard Forrester, of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
“It’s paramount we stay as up to date as possible. We need to operate safely to be able to rescue victims and mitigate these emergencies safely,” said White.
During the Forum, first responders are learning from EV experts.
“We don’t want to have any incidents of first responders becoming victims themselves,” said White.