Firefighters urge state to require placards for buildings with energy storage systems

Members of the Vermont State Firefighters Association and allied groups urged the Senate Committee on Government Operations in March 2025 to require visible placards for buildings that contain battery energy storage systems, saying the signs give firefighters a quick visual cue about hazards when they arrive on scenes they have not seen before.

Dean Gilmore of the State Firefighters Foundation and Peter Hartman, president of the Vermont State Firefighters Association, described incidents in which batteries off-gassed and then ignited, and they showed committee members a short video and photographs of a garage door blown off by a battery event. David DiBiase, representing a municipal firefighters association, said the placards would be inexpensive and practical.

“We’re looking for signage on all buildings that have this,” Gilmore told the committee. He said placards already help firefighters identify other construction hazards (for example, roof truss or floor truss placards) and that a similar approach for energy storage would immediately improve on-scene safety. Presenters proposed simple, low-cost metal signs that indicate the presence and general location of storage units (for example, a letter code for garage or basement).

Witnesses described technical and operational concerns: some battery chemistries can off-gas and lead to rapid, intense fires; presenters cited a safe operating temperature range they described as roughly 32 degrees Fahrenheit to about 100–104 degrees Fahrenheit and warned that basement or garage installations can be affected by flooding or other conditions. Committee members also discussed how installations are regulated: witnesses said Division of Fire Safety code authority does not extend to single-family dwellings in all circumstances, and that state building-code adoption and NFPA standards inform commercial enforcement but may not yet cover every residential installation.

Senator Rebecca White asked who would be responsible for placing and maintaining any required placards and whether liability would attach to homeowners or installers; firefighters said those details would need to be defined in draft language and suggested several options, including installer, homeowner or a town registry. Witnesses pointed to Green Mountain Power (GMP) testimony from 2023 that described a rapid increase in installations; presenters said GMP reported roughly 400 installations in a year with projections for growth and committee members noted the statewide number of storage systems is increasing.

Members debated the scope of any requirement — whether it should cover stationary home energy storage, electric vehicles, lead-acid backup batteries or only larger kilowatt-hour systems tied to the grid — and acknowledged more drafting is required. Firefighters emphasized the measure is intended to provide situational awareness, not to prohibit installations. They estimated the direct cost per placard would be modest (presenters suggested figures under $25 per sign).

Chair Senator Brian Collamore encouraged further work and suggested staff from the Division of Fire Safety could help draft language. The committee did not adopt new rules or take a vote; members asked firefighters and state code officials to return with suggested statutory or code language and drafting options.

Less critical details: witnesses played a short video of a battery incident and proposed a placard design that uses a small code letter indicating the storage location (garage, basement, mechanical room).