A case study exploring firefighters’ and municipal officials’ preparedness for electrical vehicles
This study presents a social perspective on new vehicle technology. It explores the self-reported preparedness of the fire departments (i.e., rescue services) in Sweden’s three largest cities regarding rescue operations involving electrical vehicles (EVs). In this multi-method study, in-depth interviews were performed with emergency service officers and municipal officers in each city. The results indicate that firefighters have little experience of accidents with EVs and they are learning reactively. The risks were not clearly identified. More knowledge is needed of identifying and disconnecting electricity in EVs. A more efficient way to find information about new vehicles is vital concerning the safety aspect in rescue operations. The level of knowledge about new vehicle technology varied between departments. For the municipal officers, environmental aspects are of most interest, whereas safety and rescue operations involving EVs are rarely addressed. The responsibility for disseminating information about the safe handling of EVs was unclear. The fire departments need more resources for education and training to keep up with technical developments and to be proactive. Another desired development is a solution for easy access to vehicle information. Since the environmental issues are setting the agenda, not the safety issues, lesser environment risks could become greater safety risks. We stress the need for various occupational decision making at all levels of society to cooperate in order to take responsibility for the safe introduction for new more environmentally friendly transport vehicle technique and disseminating safety information in a collected and systematic way.
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Availability:
- Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/18668887
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Supplemental Notes:
- © 2017 Christina Stave and Annelie Carlson. The contents of this paper reflect the views of the author[s] and do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Transportation Research Board or the National Academy of Sciences.
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Authors:
- Stave, Christina
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0000-0002-1816-9483
- Carlson, Annelie
- Publication Date: 2017-6
Language
- English
Media Info
- Media Type: Digital/other
- Features: Figures; References;
- Pagination: 10p
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Serial:
- European Transport Research Review
- Volume: 9
- Issue Number: 2
- Publisher: Springer Publishing
- ISSN: 1866-8887
- EISSN: 1867-0717
- Serial URL: http://link.springer.com/journal/12544
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Publication flags:
Open Access (libre)
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Case studies; Electric vehicles; Firefighters; Hazards and emergency operations
- Geographic Terms: Sweden
- Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 01635860
- Record Type: Publication
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: May 25 2017 2:03PM