Drive Electric Earth Month
EV First Responder Awareness Workshop at South Essex Fire Department
South Orange Village, NJ
Mar 26 2026
EV First Responder Awareness Workshop at South Essex Fire Department
South Orange Village, NJ
Mar 26 2026
| Day: | Thursday, March 26, 2026 NOTE: this event has already happened. |
| Time: | 7:40 - 9:00 pm EDT |
| Location: | South Essex Fire Department 56 Sloan St South Orange Village, NJ 07079 |
Event Report
The EV First Responder Awareness workshop in South Essex Fire Department was a small event but the 17 firefighters were very engaged, extending the event by 30 minutes. Deputy Chief Steven Cassielo helped us prepare for the event and Captain David Klugel was our on site partner.The historical 100-year old building has six bays, some of them tight and we filled four of them with a wide range of EVs from tiny 2018 Smart ED and 2015 Fiat 500e to Ford F150 Lightning, Rivian R1S and even Harbinger electric step van. In total - 10 EVs.
Instructor Mike Hornsby gave 1 hour presentation. After that, firefighters engaged in hands-on activities with EVs, learning to find power disconnect, locate battery, attachment points and just learn about the many benefits of driving electric.
This program earned South Orange points for Sustainable Jersey certification. It will help them elevate the certification tier since the 2024 Bronze level. The cycle repeats every three years and NJ municipalities work hard to beat or maintain Sustainable Jersey certification.
Event Description
New Jersey EVA and NJ Clean Cities Coalition are pleased to offer the EV First Responder awareness course in New Jersey. This program is particularly suitable for firefighters and aims to increase awareness of EV-specific safety procedures for first responders deployed to a scene involving electric vehicle collisions. The program comprises one hour of in-class presentation at 7 PM followed by 1 hr of EV show, which covers hands-on inspections of various plug-in electric vehicles using the First Responder Guide.
We call for EV volunteers to bring their vehicles and show them to the first responders:
- Let them find the safety disconnect.
- Share your positive EV driving experience.
- Explain how much you save vs. a gas car.
- Highlight how many electric miles you driven.
By registering at this portal, you commit to the EV show portion only. If you are interested in attending the entire session, please mention it in the comments and arrive 6:50 PM to sign the paperwork.
A modest dinner (e.g. pizza and beverages) will be provided to all who bring their EV and register by 3/22/2026. Late registrations are not honored.
For effective planning, we are asking EV owners to register by March 22, 2026. By registering early, we can get food for everyone. And, as we get closer to the event, more details will be sent to registered people. You don't want to miss it.
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Registered Attendees
There are currently 9 attendees registered.
Owners of These Vehicles Have Registered To Attend
| Vehicle | Registered |
|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | 2 |
| Chevrolet Bolt | 1 |
| Fiat 500e | 1 |
| Fisker Ocean | 1 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 1 |
| Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1 |
| Nissan LEAF | 1 |
| Rivian R1S | 1 |
| Smart fortwo electric drive | 1 |
| Tesla Model S | 1 |
| 10 Models | 11 |
Registered attendees report 951,600 electric miles driven.
