PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Electric cars are becoming more popular, and local fire departments are working to get the word out about what to do with your EV when a hurricane approaches.
In the past, electric vehicles have been flooded and destroyed by hurricanes. Many were damaged by Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers.
Summer Mahr with Largo Fire Rescue said if you see a hurricane in the forecast, you should charge your car ahead of time.
"If you need to charge your vehicle, those charging stations could be full with the impact of all residents trying to evacuate, and they might be out of power," said Mahr.
First responders said if you need to leave your vehicle behind, leave it in a safe location.
"You want to have it parked at least 50 feet away from a structure, just to ensure that if it does catch fire, it's going to be away from anything that can burn," said Mahr.
She said electric vehicles can not only be easily ruined by salt water, but they're also more susceptible to fires.
"We do know with EV fires, they can be a little more challenging to put out, just because they are going to require more water. Those batteries tend to need more water to put on them," said Mahr.
Quang Pham, who owns an electric car, said having a plan is key.
"I can just leave with my family using the other car that we have. I think that would keep it safe as much as we can," said Pham.
Pham visits his family in Florida frequently.
"I like that the engine is very quiet. It's a pretty smooth ride every single time," said Pham.
He said when it comes to evacuating from a hurricane, there's a lot to consider.
"My family does own like a normal internal combustion engine, just in case. If we do have to consider the range that this would get us out of town, so if that can't get us there, then we would have to switch to another car," said Pham.
He said in the case of a mandatory evacuation, he would either leave his car at home or drive it to a safe location.
"I think it's really important to have your car charged up…70% to 80%, just overnight in case something happens," said Pham. "Make sure you know when that storm is approaching and you have all of your supplies and evacuation plans put into place."
A state report says hundreds of frail elderly nursing home residents were stacked side by side, head to toe in a small church with no working air conditioning or refrigerator during Hurricane Helene.
