Requires the state fire administrator to make available a specialized electric vehicle emergency response training program to provide training to individuals responsible for providing emergency response and recovery following incidents involving electric vehicles; defines emergency medical services agency.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A6517A
SPONSOR: Eachus TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the establishment of a
specialized electric vehicle emergency response training program
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
Requires the state fire administrator to make available a specialized
electric vehicle emergency response training program.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Directs the state fire administrator to make available a
specialized electric vehicle emergency response training program for
first responders; Requires the state fire administrator to notify fire
departments, police departments, EMS agencies, and tow operators of the
availability of the training.
Section 2: Sets effective date.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ORIGINAL AND AMENDED VERSION (IF APPLICABLE):
Amended to change the "shall establish" requirement to "shall make
available" to reflect the existence of training programs already avail-
able; added specifications as to the standards that the training program
should meet, in consultation with industry experts; added tow operators
to the list of groups that must be notified of the availability of the
training program.
JUSTIFICATION:
There are key differences between-traditional fuel vehicles and electric
vehicles. Electric vehicles have different batteries, computers, and
wiring than traditional fuel vehicles, meaning accidents involving elec-
tric vehicles may need to be handled differently by first responders.
For example, on some electric vehicles, the lithium-ion battery must be
completely disconnected before it is safe to use hydraulic rescue tools,
such as the "jaws of life". Another example is that due to the kind of
batteries that many electric vehicles use, EV fires can burn for hours
and require thousands of gallons of water to put out. Without the know-
ledge of the differences between vehicles, first responders could be
putting their own lives at greater risk than is needed.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
6517--A
Cal. No. 187
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
April 12, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. EACHUS, OTIS, WALLACE, WALSH -- read once and
referred to the Committee on Governmental Operations -- ordered to a
third reading, amended and ordered reprinted, retaining its place on
the order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the establishment of a
specialized electric vehicle emergency response training program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 156-i
2 to read as follows:
3 § 156-i. Establishment of a specialized electric vehicle emergency
4 response training program. 1. The state fire administrator shall make
5 available a specialized electric vehicle emergency response training
6 program for individuals responsible for providing emergency response and
7 recovery following incidents involving electric vehicles. The state fire
8 administrator shall inform all fire companies, municipal corporations
9 and districts, including agencies and departments thereof and all fire-
10 fighters, both paid and volunteer, and related officers and employees,
11 police officers, emergency medical services agencies, and tow operators
12 of the implementation and availability of the specialized electric vehi-
13 cle emergency response training program and shall, subject to the avail-
14 ability of an appropriation, conduct such training with sufficient
15 frequency to ensure adequate response to incidents involving electric
16 vehicles and protection of responders in all geographic areas of the
17 state.
18 2. The state fire administrator shall prescribe the curriculum of the
19 specialized electric vehicle emergency response training program, which
20 shall include, but shall not be limited to, hands-on training. As
21 recommended by the national transportation safety board, the curriculum
22 shall, to the maximum extent possible, be based on international organ-
23 ization for standardization (ISO) standard 17840, where consistent first
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD10051-05-3
A. 6517--A 2
1 with the standards of the society of automotive engineers and second
2 with the standards of the national fire protection association.
3 3. The state fire administrator is hereby directed to issue a report
4 to the governor, speaker of the assembly, temporary president of the
5 senate, chairman of the assembly transportation committee and the chair-
6 man of the senate transportation committee by February fifteenth of each
7 year on the operations of the program set forth in this section.
8 4. The state fire administrator shall promulgate such rules and regu-
9 lations as are necessary to carry out the provisions of this section.
10 5. For the purposes of this section, the term "emergency medical
11 services agency" shall mean an agency that provides initial emergency
12 medical services including, but not limited to, the treatment of trauma,
13 burns, respiratory, circulatory and obstetrical emergencies, as defined
14 in section three thousand one of the public health law.
15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
