September 14, 2022, Afternoon Training Session in New York
A rise in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on American roads is no longer just a prediction in news headlines — it’s a reality. General Motors and the industry continue to see rising EV sales and demand in the form of long reservation lists for future vehicles. Leading the shift to electric vehicles is not just about sales, but also the responsibility to introduce this technology to the world in the right way. Behind GM’s commitment to build more than a million EVs by 2025 is a grassroots undertaking already in progress to help educate First Responders (law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel) and Second Responders (tow-truck drivers, salvage yard workers, etc.) to have the knowledge to safely interact with an EV after an initial incident.
Earlier this year, GM and OnStar began to provide their latest Electric Vehicle First Responder Training at no cost in Michigan, Georgia, Texas, New York, North Carolina and the Metro DC area. Due to the favorable response, the training will continue into 2023 with anticipated locations to include the Midwest and along the West Coast of the U.S.
“Interest has remained high,” says Mitch Petterson, Emergency Services Outreach Leader at OnStar/GM. Petterson, a former fire chief, added that most attendees have been First Responders, but Second Responders have enrolled in the classes too. “We’ve had over 2,000 attendees representing more than 450 agencies in 2022,” Petterson says.
The hands-on training covers several of the basics surrounding EVs, such as the structure of the battery and high-voltage components, the differences from internal-combustion-engine incidents and an overview of past, current and future vehicles. A safety overview covers vehicle structures, enhanced diagnostics and prognostics, HazMat, OnStar Connected Services and vehicle rescue information.
Petterson says that, in many cases, additional registrants have signed up right after their coworkers or colleagues attended a session, indicating positive word-of-mouth for the training. “In one location, we had a fire chief attend a morning session, then register several members of his department to attend subsequent sessions,” he says, adding that it was clear the chief saw value in the program for his staff.
The training comes at a crucial time for First and Second Responders. “With the increasing number of electrified vehicles on the road and the promise of an all-electric future, it is important that responders are familiar with EVs and how to safely interact with them,” Petterson says.
Visit https://gmevfirstrespondertraining.com/ to register to attend future EV training sessions and sign up for updates.
