First Responder Education

The California Fuel Cell Partnership is actively educating first responders about hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles. To do their jobs safely and effectively, police, fire and emergency medical personnel need current information about new vehicles and fueling stations operating in California. CaFCP members worked closely with local fire departments, the Office of the California State Fire Marshall and other stakeholders to develop a comprehensive emergency response guide and training materials. The materials familiarize first responders with hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles that will are, or soon will be, a part of their communities.

Emergency Response Guides
The Fuel Cell Vehicle Emergency Response Guide includes information on the proper response procedure for light-duty fuel cell vehicle and bus incidents. The guide also outlines information on hydrogen properties, how a fuel cell works, recommended equipment for FCV accident scenes and general FCV systems. The hard copy version includes hydrogen and electrical system cut sheets that show first responders where and where not to cut a specific fuel cell vehicle when extricating accident victims.

The Fuel Station Emergency Response Guide helps first responders understand how to respond to certain hydrogen fueling station situations. This document, which is currently in draft, will include information on hydrogen station systems, operating procedures, types of hydrogen processing technologies and storage methods. By understanding these systems, first responders can make informed decisions on how to respond to a station incident.

First Responder Training Program
To date, CaFCP members and staff have trained more than 600 first responders in 17 communities in Northern and Southern California. The program continues to expand as more vehicles are introduced into California communities. Training is based on information in the emergency response guide and includes the properties of hydrogen, fuel cell vehicle safety and design, specific emergency response procedures for FCVs and a hands-on look at fuel cell vehicles. CaFCP staff and member organizations perform the training with assistance from experienced first responders.

CaFCP staff work in concert with the Office of the State Fire Marshal, participate with the nationwide Hydrogen Executive Leadership Program (HELP), collaborate with the US Department of Energy’s safety training program at the HAMMER training facility, and coordinates with other education efforts, such as Michigan’s NextEnergy and the British Columbia Hydrogen Highway.

For More Information
To learn more about emergency response training and Emergency Response Guides, visit our website, www.cafcp.org.

Updated April 2006