Lithium-ion battery resources from IAFC
The growing use of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, micromobility devices, and energy storage systems presents evolving challenges for fire departments and emergency responders.
Lithium-ion battery incidents can involve thermal runaway, rapid fire development, hazardous gases, and the potential for reignition. These hazards require specialized training, incident planning, and response considerations to help protect firefighters and communities.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) provides access to research, operational guidance, training, and resources to help fire service leaders understand emerging battery technologies, strengthen preparedness, and support safer emergency response.
Ready to get involved? Our Fire & Life Safety Section leads this work with the Safety, Health and Survival Section. Together they are building a toolkit of response resources.
Featured lithium-ion resources
Start with these guides and tip sheets for lithium-ion battery incidents.
-
Considerations for Fire Service Response to Residential Battery Energy Storage System Incidents
New data on how lithium fires ignite and spread and urges support for further research toward limiting these fires
-
Tips from Training: E-Bike & Scooter Fires/Emergencies
FDNY Tips from Training: E-Bike & Scooter Fires/Emergencies
-
Safety Risks to Emergency Responders from Lithium-Ion Battery Fires in Electric Vehicles
Findings/recommendations first responder safety involving high-voltage lithium-ion battery fires in electric vehicles.
Common questions about lithium-ion batteries
Quick answers for fire chiefs and responders, with links to the full resources.
Lithium-ion batteries power devices from phones and e-bikes to electric vehicles (EVs) and home energy storage systems (ESS). As their use grows, they change the risk profile of vehicle and home fires. Crews face added challenges at these incidents, so the fire service must keep adapting its tactics to protect firefighters.
A home energy storage system (ESS) is a battery system that stores power for a house. Residential ESS are an increasingly popular home energy source that uses lithium-ion battery technology. Our resource on incidents involving residential battery energy storage systems shares new data on how these fires ignite and spread.
Our resource library links to the emergency response guides and rescue sheets that vehicle makers submit to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It also links to a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) collection from more than 35 manufacturers. A one-page bulletin covers pre-response, response, and post-event actions for EV fires.
Fire Department of New York (FDNY) Tips from Training sheets cover tactics for e-bike and scooter fires, including protective equipment and hazmat response. One covers scene preservation before fire marshals arrive. Another covers vans that carry as many as 60 batteries. Thermal runaway, a chain reaction where an overheating cell heats its neighbors, is a key hazard.
Start with the IAFC event calendar. For online training, the UL Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) offers a course on thermal runaway and the development of fire and explosion hazards. Our Fire & Life Safety Section also lists a one-hour webinar on electric-vehicle battery incidents following a hurricane. Members can ask peers for advice in KnowledgeNet.
FSRI’s Take C.H.A.R.G.E. of Battery Safety campaign gives the fire service six easy-to-remember measures, from choosing certified products to educating others. Charged for Life offers tailored messaging and resources that help communities recognize risks, adopt safer practices, and prevent lithium-ion battery fires.