PPE Contamination from Lithium-Ion Battery Fires

It's well known that lithium-ion batteries off-gas heavy metals and other toxic substances when they catch fire and/or go into thermal runaway. What we don't know is to what extent these toxic compounds contaminate firefighter turnout gear, or whether the typical firehouse washer extractor is effective at cleaning the gear after a battery incident. My guests today, NC State University researchers Bryan Ormond and Arjunsing Girase, are working on a project to find answers to both questions. We talk about their promising early findings and discuss some of the PPE research underway now that could one day transform our methods for cleaning firefighter turnout gear. The interview was recorded live at the 2026 NFPA Conference in Las Vegas. LINKS: Learn more about the work being done at NC State's Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center Learn more about the Ormond Research Group Visit IEM, our sponsor for this episode of the NFPA Podcast