Dr. Ashok Kaveeshwar, William P. Chernicoff, and NASFM President James Burns with the Honorable Norman Y. Mineta at the NextEnergy Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Events

1st Annual Safety Summit

In October 2005, nearly 100 persons participated at HELP's first annual safety summit at the State of Michigan's spectacular new NextEnergy facility in Detroit. Michigan Congressman John Dingell - the Dean of the US House of Representatives - presented NASFM's first Norman Y. Mineta Excellence in Transportation Safety Award to the man for whom the award is named, US Transportation Secretary Mineta. HELP continued its tradition of debating ideas, and working on the tools that will facilitate the transition. Because of its structure, RITA sponsorship and diverse membership, HELP will be the organization with the greatest credibility with emergency responders who understandably must be able to differentiate between facts and the commercial and political rhetoric that so easily cloud these issues.

Meeting Agenda and PowerPoint Presentations:

9:30 a.m. Welcome and Orientation – James A. Croce, Chief Executive Officer, NextEnergy
9:40 a.m.

The US Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration and the Hydrogen Executive Leadership Panel
William P. Chernicoff, Hydrogen Program Engineer/Program Manager

Goals, Responsibilities and Objectives of the US Department of Transportation
Honorable Ashok Kaveeshwar, Administrator, US DOT Research and Innovative Technology Administration

George A. Miller, Chairman
International Consortium for Fire Safety, Health and the Environment
   
Opportunities for a Safe and Orderly Transition from Fossil to Hydrogen Fuels:
Five Key Perspectives:
10:45 a.m. The Automakers’ Perspective
Christine Sloane, GM Hydrogen, moderator
John Sakioka, Ford Motor Company
12:00 p.m.

Special Presentation: James Burns, President,
National Association of State Fire Marshals

Luncheon Speaker: Honorable Norman Mineta, Secretary of Transportation
1:30 p.m.

The Energy and Environmental Perspective –
Bradley J. Smith Jr., Shell Hydrogen LLC
Chris Grundler, US Environmental Protection Agency

Click here for Shell Presentation
Click here for EPA Presentation
2:20 p.m.

The Model Building and Fire Codes Perspective -
Henry Green, President, International Codes Council, moderator

Panelists: Carl Rivkin, Senior Chemical Engineer, National Fire Protection Association, David A. McLean, Chief Operating Officer, NextEnergy

Click here for ICC Presentation
Click here for NFPA Presentation
3:20 p.m. Break
3:40 p.m.

The Emergency Services Perspective -
Andrew Neumann, Michigan State Fire Marshal, moderator

Panelists: Rand Napoli, Director, Office of Florida State Fire Marshal; Chief Robert Hendricks, Lexington, Kentucky Fire Department; Detective Lieutenant Larry Thompson, Michigan State Police
4:45 p.m. First Day Summary – George Miller

Day Two October 4th, 2005

8:00 a.m. Buses Depart from Detroit Marriott at Renaissance Center
8:30 a.m. Registration and Coffee at NextEnergy Center
9:30 a.m.

The Hydrogen Executive Leadership Panel (HELP)
History and structure of HELP, overview of the HELP Strategic Plan –
Chief Fred Postel, Chairman, HELP

Click here for HELP Overview Presentation
10:00 a.m. The First HELP Projects
Comments from participants following each section.
 

Goal I: Hydrogen Highways safely built and operated, with zero hydrogen fuel cell incidents requiring emergency response. Moderator: Rand Napoli, Director, FL Office of State Fire Marshal, and member of HELP.

Click here for HELP Goal One Presentations – Includes Community Education and Real-World Scenarios

1. Findings and recommendations: Plan for community education program to facilitate Hydrogen Highways. Chuck Mosher, Vice Chair of HELP, Sen. Anthony Bucco, 25th District Representative, New Jersey State Senate

2. Findings and recommendations: Firefighter Safety

a. Real world scenarios. Alan Shuman, GA State Fire Marshal and member of HELP

b. Standardized firefighter safety training curriculum. Bill Summer, West Sacramento Fire Department, Monterey Gardiner, California Fuel Cell Partnership,

Click here for Firefighter Training Presentation
12:00 p.m. Lunch, Demonstrations and Exhibitions
Fuel cell vehicles will be on-site for demonstrations
1:30 p.m.

The First HELP Projects continued…

c. Discussion: The importance of studying “near misses.” Group input on incident reporting thresholds. Monterey Gardiner, California Fuel Cell Partnership, William P. Chernicoff, US DOT Hydrogen Program Engineer/Program Manager

Click here for Incident Reporting Presentation

3. Next steps

Goal II. A significant overall improvement in passenger survivability of automobile fires, so that the fire risks present in today’s autos are not carried forward as we enter the Commercialization Phase. Moderator, Hank Roux, PE, Chairman, Safe Energy Science Advisors.

1. Findings and recommendations: Workable definitions and a model of systems likely to be used in hydrogen powered autos. Hank Roux, PE, Chairman, Safe Energy Science Advisors

2. Findings and recommendations: Investigations protocol for more detailed information on auto fires, with an emphasis on incidents involving hybrid autos. Chief Fred Postel, West Sacramento, CA, Fire Department
3:30 p.m. Closing Remarks - Chief Postel
4:00 p.m. Optional Site Visit to Southfield Hydrogen Energy Station