Car Fire Blanket for Electric Vehicles - Bridgehill

An Essential Note on the Hazards & Risks of Use versus the Potential Benefits

Recommended by Safelincs for use by trained personnel only

Like using any other type of firefighting appliance, deploying a Car Fire Blanket (CFB) carries a risk to the user. Hazards include flames, heat, smoke, toxic fumes, explosive gasses, and ejected materials. The advent of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles can makes these hazards even more unpredictable. Traditional vehicle fires often start and then grow quickly to engulf the vehicle. Electric vehicles with batteries in thermal runaway (meaning there will be a fire) often emit fumes and smoke first, appearing for some time to be relatively dormant and so giving an impression of relative safety. It is impossible to be entirely certain how any given situation will develop.

These fire blankets are designed and intended to protect neighbouring vehicles and structures from much of the heat generated by a burning car, the goal being to prevent a catastrophic spread of the fire that may destroy entire buildings or cost lives. This means that a balance must be struck between the risks to the persons deploying the CFB (it is a task for at least two people) and the potential consequences of not acting. The speed with which vehicle fire hazards can develop will rarely allow time for a detailed risk assessment of the scenario.

Deploying the Single Use Car Fire Blanket

If you choose to deploy the Car Fire Blanket

Before you deploy, be aware that the CFB is packed so as to be easiest to deploy when approaching the front/rear of the vehicle since this is the most common scenario. When removed from its bag, the CFB is first unrolled to a width of 6 metres, then unfolded to its length of 8 metres. This is to mirror the rough proportions of any vehicle - longer than it is wide.

1. Place the fire blanket on the ground in front or behind the car and roll it out.
2. Two people should grab their handle and safely pull the fire blanket over the car in one continuous movement.
3. Make sure the fire blanket is tight all the way to ground. Wait at least 20 minutes.