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Fire department warns of growing electric-vehicle fire risk, seeks hazmat equipment and training
Summary
The Los Angeles Fire Department presented a report on electric-vehicle battery fires and urged the committee to prioritize hazmat staffing, specialized containers, detection equipment and training; the committee noted and filed the report 5-0 and asked for a prioritized equipment list and FY2026–27 budget itemization.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) told the Comité de Seguridad Pública on Sept. 17 that rising numbers of battery-powered vehicles and changing vehicle fuel types require new equipment, staffing and training to respond to battery-related fires.
An LAFD captain, speaking for the department’s hazmat unit, said the department has provided staff with detectors for flammable gases, photoionization detectors and advanced thermal cameras to identify overheating battery cells. The captain said the department has also equipped its hazmat unit with fire-resistant containers to isolate batteries and tools to begin de-energization.
“Dentro de mi unidad en el Hassmat program les hemos proporcionado métricos para detectar gases flamables ... también les hemos proporcionado con cámaras avanzadas que puedan detectar temperaturas,” the captain said. He told the committee LAFD has increased emergency-response capacity and participated in symposiums with industry and engineers.
The captain said there are currently no universally efficient tools for handling some battery incidents, and LAFD will need additional hazmat personnel, specialized equipment and continued training to respond safely. He noted recent and anticipated regulatory changes mentioned in the report, including a cited “Legislación California 171” and provisions in a 2024 fire code that, according to the captain, are scheduled for local adoption in 2026 and will require new battery-storage and suppression plans.
The department asked the committee to include a prioritized list of new equipment and a fiscal-year 2026–27 equipment list in its next report. The captain also noted ongoing coordination with port authorities and other agencies to manage risks posed by batteries in shipping containers.
After the presentation the committee voted to note and file the LAFD report and directed staff to provide the prioritized equipment list and fiscal-year budget planning; the roll call showed Councilmember Lee, Councilmember Price, Councilmember McCusker, Councilmember Soto Martínez and Councilmember Park voting in favor, 5-0.
Why it matters: As vehicle electrification expands, local fire departments and emergency responders face operational and equipment demands that have budget and training implications for the city.
The report did not include a final cost estimate for the full equipment list; the captain said some LAFD positions are grant-funded and losing grants would affect capacity.
