Responding To Vehicle Fires

Suppression of vehicle fires is extremely dangerous and poses many health and safety hazards to firefighters. The following procedures are recommended:

• Wear a high-visibility reflective vest or other high-visibility clothing.
• Secure the scene and provide or request assistance for traffic control.
• Park your vehicle to provide a protective barricade for you and your crew. Position it so that an inattentive or drunk driver will hit your vehicle and not your crew. Your vehicle is expendable; you are not.
• Provide for your escape route at the scene.
• Do not use road flares if fuel is leaking from the vehicle.
• Do not breathe any smoke. Smoke from vehicle fires contains toxic chemicals that will kill you.
• Vehicle fires are considered a hazardous materials scene. Suppression action should only be taken if the crew is trained, equipped, and authorized in the use of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).
• If taking suppression action on wildland fuels, firefighters should ensure that they are a safe distance from the burning vehicle (100 feet minimum), and avoid contact with vehicle fire smoke or fumes.