Volunteer firefighters in the Doyle Fire District are now equipped with two fire suppression systems designed for use on electric car battery fires as well as a “state-of-the-art” radio system.
The equipment is the result of a $240,000 grant from New York State. Doyle District firefighters say the new gear replaces the district’s more-than-20-year-old radios and allows first responders to better handle battery fires as EVs become more common.
“As we continue to make technological advancements in our society and these accidents are more dire and more complex, we have to make sure that our first responders have the tools that are necessary to do the work to protect themselves and all of us,” Rep. Tim Kennedy, who secured the funding during his time in the State Senate, said at a press conference. “With the purchase of these new radios and these fire suppression systems, we’re doing exactly that. We’re giving our volunteers the best fighting chance to come home."
All of Cheektowaga’s fire companies will have access to the battery fire suppression systems. Cheektowaga Town Supervisor Brian Nowak says that equipment is essential given the increasing number of EVs on the road and Cheektowaga’s many highways.
“Equipment like this allows us to put those fires out,” Nowak said. “I’ve heard stories from folks… in the volunteer fire service about electric car fires to where it’s put out, and then that car goes to the junkyard, and then it’s on fire again. We have to evolve with the technology and the changing times.”
The Town of Cheektowaga had previously secured a $500,000 grant in 2020 for a new radio system. The radios previously used by Cheektowaga’s first responders had weak signals in certain neighborhoods due to outdated infrastructure, according to Kennedy’s office.
Electric vehicle fires are less common than fires in cars with internal combustion engines, but EV fires “can pose unique challenges,” according to the National Fire Protection Association.