Rescuers Wary of Hybrids' High Voltage

[brandon]

Rescuers Wary of Hybrids' High Voltage
Carmakers say power is cut as air bag deploys

7/23/2006
Laren Weber, Staff Writer, The Toledo Blade

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...EWS08/607230301

Excerpts:

"Area fire officials say the increasing popularity of hybrids could bring a greater potential for injury or electrocution for rescue personnel trying to remove an injured person from a wrecked hybrid with hydraulic metal spreaders and cutters like the Hurst "Jaws of Life" or a metal-cutting saw if proper precautions aren't taken first. A good Samaritan passer-by who uses a tire iron or crowbar to help pry open a wrecked door before emergency personnel arrive might likewise be at risk...

The high-voltage wires run underneath the center of Honda and Toyota electric hybrids, in a position where car manufacturers say it would be difficult to accidentally cut them.

'It would take a pretty determined person to cut that wiring,' said David Lee, product education administrator at Toyota's corporate headquarters in Torrance, Calif.

Mr. Lee said safety systems installed in Toyota's hybrids are designed so that if the car is struck with enough force to deploy the air bags, a simultaneous signal is sent to shut off the electricity.

'The high-voltage wiring, if it's performed properly, would be carrying no current - [the wiring] should be dead,' Mr. Lee said. 'I can see no concern for rescue personnel having to be at any more risk there than they would have with a [regular] car.'"


Don't know where they're getting the "500 Volts" number...

I doubt the author has seen the Toyota Emergency Response Guides.

[Frank Hudon]

aw not again! every freekin year we get these dumba** "reporters" with nothing to do dig this sh*t up and publish it again. Time for a smack down.

[randreed]

Write a letter to the editor complaining about the reporter's lack of integrity and demand a retraction - if they get a few letters like that it WILL have an impact.

[TonyPSchaefer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Frank Hudon @ Jul 23 2006, 05:22 PM) [snapback]291115[/snapback]</div>

aw not again! every freekin year we get these dumba** "reporters" with nothing to do dig this sh*t up and publish it again. Time for a smack down.[/b]

Exactly, Frank. That was the first thought that crossed my mind.

As soon as an EMT is electrocuted by a hybrid, I'll pay attention.

[espoafd]

This is the same argument that was used against airbags.

I am a Captain on a Heavy Rescue unit that specializes in vehicle extrication and have taught vehicle extrication throughout New Mexico. I try to educate my peers that hybrids are safe to cut into. The only times that I have cut a vehicle where the high-voltage wires run has been during class when we have cut cars in half for fun.

I also try to educate them about the fact that hybrids can be on without the ICE running. I could see a scenerio where a patient was being removed and the "gas" pedal could be depressed causing the car to move and injure rescuers.

Rescuers just need to be educated. Take your hybrid to your local fire station and show them how to turn it off. Also take a copy of the emergency responce guide for the Prius in to them. Most rescuers are unaware of this resource.

Just remember ignorance leads to fear.

[mikepaul]

The guys at my oil change shop told me straight-faced that someone had died cutting into the orange wire on a hybrid. I assumed I'd missed that story, but it now looks like an urban legend.

I hope...

[brandon]

Famous last words: "Hey, guys, watch this!"

[Frank Hudon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brandon @ Jul 24 2006, 07:16 AM) [snapback]291385[/snapback]</div>

Famous last words: "Hey, guys, watch this!"
[/b]

there's that word.......last

[CHART]

Yeah...a guy at work just showed me an "Intelligence Bulletin" from the Maryland State Police "Homeland Security and Intelligence Division."

The good news is, its purpose is to spread awareness that these high-voltage cars are out there and they work differently than you might be used to if you come across one in an emergency.

The bad news is, it is poorly written (in my opinion) and uses words such as "potential hazzard for serious injury or death" etc that are true, but are more ominous than necessary as any 2000 lb vehicle filled with a flamable liquid and a built-in ignition source can aslo kill you!! their information came from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and it makes me wonder if anyone even tried to contact Honda and Toyota.

the FUNNY news is they are a typical Law Enforcement Bureaucracy and stamped the flyer, "LAW ENFORCEMENT SENSITIVE: Intelligence bulletins are a service of the Homeland Security and Intelligence Division of the Maryland State Police. The content of this document is for official use only a. Any request for disclosure of this document or the information contained herein should be referred to:.....

Oh yeah.....This is serious...Lets get a warning out there pronto... and then classify it!!!