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Jimmy Patronis sounds alarms on dangerous mix of electric cars, storm surge (Florida Chief Financial Officer and state Fire Marshal)
Florida Politics ^ | October 9th 2022 | Jacob Ogles

Posted on 10/09/2022 2:06:29 PM PDT by Jacquerie

In the wake of Hurricane Ian, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is expressing new concern over electric vehicles. He penned a letter to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sounding alarms on the dangerous mix of lithium batteries and storm surge.

Patronis, whose duties include state Fire Marshal, said the administration needs to assess fire risks associated with saltwater on electric vehicles. In the meantime, he said fire teams need more support to deal with an “inevitable” increase in fires associated with electric-powered automobiles.

He sent a copy of the letter to Rep. Frank Pallone, Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

One major problem Patronis described was that even after lithium battery fires were extinguished, continued exposure to saltwater caused new ignitions.

Much of the existing federal guidance on disaster response involving submerged vehicles does not account for the risks associated with the exposure of lithium car batteries to saltwater, he said.

He wants the NHTSA to require electric car manufacturers of the dangers related to vehicles impacted by storm surge and said his office will distribute that information in Florida as soon as it becomes available.

Patronis said he wants answers to questions posed in his letter no later than Friday, Oct. 14.

“In my experience, Southwest Florida has a significant number of EVs in use, and if those EVs were left behind, exposed to storm surge, and sitting in garages, there is a risk of fires,” he said. “As the State Fire Marshal, I must ensure local fire teams have access to all the equipment needed for these operations, including Tender Strike Teams, Engine Strike Teams, PPE and thermal imagery. Your responses may be the difference between life and death.”

(Excerpt) Read more at floridapolitics.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: automotive; disaster; electric; ev; evs; fire; fl; florida; hurricane; hurricaneian; ian; patronis; putinlovertrollsonfr; putinsbuttboys; putinworshippers; storm; zottherussiantrolls
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To: Jacquerie

When I charge Li battery containing small devices in the house I always have that stuff sitting on at least a 12” x 12” cut and polished rock tile.


21 posted on 10/09/2022 4:39:25 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: Paladin2

I know a guy who has two of those things. They look scary in the water, I’ve not asked for a ride. His local lake is prone to sudden thunderstorms.


22 posted on 10/09/2022 4:56:30 PM PDT by SaxxonWoods (The only way to secure your own future is to create it yourself.)
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To: Jacquerie

I wish he’d cited some statistics on the EVs in the Florida flooding. I haven’t seen a picture of a flooded EV spouting flames or whatever he claims happens.


23 posted on 10/09/2022 4:57:46 PM PDT by cymbeline
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To: Jacquerie
Hard to tell how big a threat EV fires pose to the public.
Not every EV catches fire, obviously. How many were flooded, and how many of those burned? Is a hard driving rain enough, or does it take total immersion, or just moist salty air? Can the batteries be rendered safe by discharging or disconnecting them?
Will we see Insurance companies denying payouts or coverage because the homeowner has an EV on the property? That would kill the EV boom, fer sure.
24 posted on 10/09/2022 5:01:52 PM PDT by ZOOKER (Until further notice the /s is implied...)
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To: SaxxonWoods

They seem to be a totally fun photo-op.

Don’t know if they are still useful as chick bait.

Obviously one needs a license or two. Likely open season all year [local climate determining].


25 posted on 10/09/2022 5:02:45 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: roving

Li and Na are nothing to fool with.

[As we were able to definitively prove in HS Chemistry Lab - way back in the day.]


26 posted on 10/09/2022 5:07:24 PM PDT by Paladin2
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To: minnesota_bound
Insurance will not insure ...

Isn't that half the goal of every insurance company? The other half being to collect premiums with so many exceptions that goal #1 id easily met.

27 posted on 10/09/2022 5:27:09 PM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
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To: rollo tomasi
a totalitarian nightmare devoid of any risk management analyses.

Yes, but only for the little people - those that live in "fly over country) and or course those insanely dangerou exestintial threats to "democracy" - the MAGA people

28 posted on 10/09/2022 5:33:35 PM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy - EVs a solution for which there is no problem)
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To: chiller

#20 Salt air and road salt from the winter rusts out your steel car so a battery pack would be a fire waiting to happen.


29 posted on 10/09/2022 5:42:22 PM PDT by minnesota_bound (Need more money to buy everything now)
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To: Jacquerie

My CFO.. another great Florida Republican


30 posted on 10/09/2022 6:14:44 PM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Defund the FBI, the American Stasi..)
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To: Chgogal
EVs are not Green.

No kidding...

EVs are powered by electricity created by the burning of mostly fossil fuels:

And pray to God it doesn't catch on fire. And if it does, the EV is not parked in your garage.

Imagine waking up at 3:30AM and discovering your house is on fire caused by your EV parked in your attached garage spontaneously combusting. Might cause some interesting challenges for the insurance company.

31 posted on 10/09/2022 6:46:37 PM PDT by upchuck (The longer I remain unjabbed with the clot-shot, the more evidence I see supporting my decision.)
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To: Lean-Right

Good question.


32 posted on 10/09/2022 7:10:27 PM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: Paladin2

Yeah. I saw a sink explode in chemistry lab when someone dumped so Li in the dry sink. Another student came by and turned the water on. Luckily he wasn’t burned. He did get thrown backwards.


33 posted on 10/09/2022 7:14:42 PM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: Da Coyote
...even after lithium battery fires were extinguished, continued exposure to saltwater caused new ignitions...

How about those lithium batteries for home solar units? Hurricane surge just got worse. Lefties are nuts.

34 posted on 10/09/2022 7:15:14 PM PDT by GOPJ (Trump EARNED his money. Money dems have, they steal from taxpayers. It's why they hate Trump.)
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To: gitmo
It's imperative to keep the samples very small in mass.

Partial Edumactation by experience is a Good ThingTM.

35 posted on 10/09/2022 7:24:50 PM PDT by Paladin2
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