Fire Blanket; fighting EV fires with new technology

WEST BEND, Wis. - As electric vehicles (EV) grow in popularity, the West Bend Fire Department has found a different way to fight potential EV fires. 

"A lot of times when these (gas-powered) cars catch fire, they are going to be in close contact to other things, whether it’s a house, parking garage or a ferry," said Ginger Johnson of Fire Cloak USA.

But Johnson said if the fire involves an electric vehicle, it is a different ballgame.

"We know that lithium ion batteries, when they do go into thermal runaway, meaning that each cell is catching fire one by one, the temperature rises and it creates its own oxygen," Johnson said. 

Ginger Johnson

Johnson said this makes EV fires more difficult to contain. That is there the Fire Blanket comes into play. 

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"We’re trying to encapsulate the whole car to deprive it of oxygen," Johnson said. "To control the collateral damage."

That is the claim from the company. FOX6 News wanted to see the Fire Blanket in action. 

"When we did it a couple times you could really feel the heat when we had to lift it up by the door," said Austin Brewer, firefighter & paramedic for West Bend Fire Department.

Brewer put the tool to the test on Tuesday. 

"If we lift up that blanket or we have any bit of oxygen get swooped up underneath, that’s going to cause the fire to be larger and more heat for us," Brewer said. 

But over time, Brewer said the blanket dropped the temperature of the fire. 

"You could feel the heat, but it was nowhere near if you’re next to an open fire," Brewer said. 

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But Brewer said it only works with lots of practice. 

"It’s important that you deploy it right the first time," Brewer said. 

The Fire Blankets are a one-time use only. Each weighs about 55 pounds.