FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) -- Some Indiana fire departments have begun training firefighters to minimize their chances of injury when rescuing people from hybrid cars.
Depending on the model, high-voltage lines in hybrid cars carry 144 volts to 650 volts, a level that injure a person, State Farm Insurance spokesman Kip Diggs said.
Conventional vehicles use 12 volts for their electrical systems, he said.
''If you figure that's enough to move a car, it really hurts somebody,'' he said.
The voltage challenges firefighters who are trying to remove passengers pinned in their vehicles. Rescuers use various cutters and spreaders, some of which are hydraulic, to create enough space to remove passengers without harming them, they say.
High-voltage lines in hybrid cars are painted bright orange and are not running through parts usually found during extrications. But firefighters still need to know the potential danger of touching them, said Kirk Scott, an extrication instructor with the Fort Wayne Fire Department.
''The high voltage poses a real threat to us if not dealt with properly,'' he said.
Hybrid cars rely on electric motors for the most fuel-intensive aspects of acceleration, such as starting from a standstill. The vehicles revert to gasoline-fueled power when cruising. During cruising and braking, the gasoline engine charges the batteries to the electric motor, which saves on fuel consumption.
Besides a 12-volt battery for the electrical system like other cars, hybrid cars have a separate high-capacity battery pack to power the electric motor.
Copyright 2005 Associated Press
