Jimmy Patronis wants new rules for dealing with EV battery fires

Emergency crews and first responders are used to watching out for secondary dangers after a hurricane, such as downed power lines. After Hurricane Ian swept through Southwest Florida in 2022, responders realized they needed to add another hazard to the list: fires sparked by flooded electric vehicle batteries.

Hurricane Ian left behind 20 such fires, in which saltwater flooding compromised the lithium-ion batteries in EVs, complicating the work for emergency crews and first responders.

Now, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, whose Department of Financial Services also oversees the Division of State Fire Marshal, the Bureau of Fire Prevention and the Bureau of Fire Standards and Training, is pushing for new rules to install safety regulations surrounding the EV fires.

“Today, we started rulemaking to establish standards for dealing with EV fires. Lithium-ion batteries are the energy sources of our time and it’s an amazing technology. Unfortunately, while there are benefits to Lithium-ion batteries, there are dangerous drawbacks too,” Patronis said in a prepared statement.

“It is important that Floridians understand the dangers of technologies powered by lithium-ion batteries, especially if they live in coastal communities. Once these fires begin, they can spread quickly and become extremely difficult for firefighters to put out.”

Patronis, who announced the start of the rulemaking process in a press conference at an Orlando fire station Thursday, also called on Congress to set federal standards for firefighters responding to EV fires.

The U.S. House passed the Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act on Wednesday, which allows the Consumer Product Safety Commission to set standards for the manufacturing of lithium-ion batteries. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate.

“The rulemaking process taking place today is a huge step in the right direction for the safety of Florida’s first responders and Florida residents,” said Florida Professional Firefighters President Bernie Bernoska.

“Fires caused by lithium-ion batteries can be devastating, and need to be addressed not only in Florida, but throughout the country. I look forward to continuing the work of protecting consumers and firefighters from battery fires.”