Helping First Responders Respond To The Chevy Volt
The all-new, award-winning Chevrolet Volt is revolutionizing the auto industry with its ability to deliver up to 35 miles of all-electric, emissions-free driving, followed by an additional 340+ miles of anxiety-free, no-worries cruising after its batteries are depleted. But in addition to the Volt’s unique driving capabilities, it can also present some unique challenges to the country’s first responders in case of an emergency.
With this in mind, Chevrolet, OnStar and the National Firefighters Prevention Association teamed up to present electric-vehicle first-response training sessions in a number of key Volt launch markets—including Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, Washington, D.C., and Austin, Texas—before finishing up recently in Detroit in January.
“Our goal with this program is to help public safety personnel become as comfortable working around electric vehicles as they are with conventional vehicles today,” said Gay Kent, GM director of Vehicle Safety and Crashworthiness.
All told, some 2,000 fire and emergency service personnel went through the advanced training, which leveraged web-based training materials, videos and other Chevrolet/Onstar resources. Training topics included:
- Power shut-off procedures
- Lithium-ion battery details
- Locations of high-strength steel
- Proper cut points for passenger extrication
“First responders have a long history of successfully adapting their response to new vehicles and equipment in order to protect the public, as well as themselves.” said Jim Shannon, NFPA president. “We’re proud of our role in supporting the emergency services and look forward to expanding the reach of this training program to communities across America.”
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