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2022 Press Releases


**PSA** CFO Patronis to Electric Vehicle Makers: We Need Solutions to Combat EV Fires

10/11/2022
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued a public service announcement asking Electric Vehicle (EV) manufactures to help address EV vehicle fires following the impacts of Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida. Last night, local first responders reported that an EV caught fire in a garage at a home on Sanibel Island and burned the entire house down, as well as the house next door. 


Watch Video HERE.

FULL TRANSCRIPT BELOW

This is CFO and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis.

According to local first responders, last night we had two houses burn down due to an EV that caught on fire.

Started in one garage - burned down that house - burned down the house next to it.

These EV’s, once they catch on fire, all you can do is let them burn to the ground.

We need a partnership - we need private sector solutions on how to deal with this.

Our first responders are being put in harm’s way.

And then people’s personal homes, that may have survived the storm, are now being burned down due to the complications of a compromised system inside these EVs, due to lithium batteries and saltwater surge, that took place from Hurricane Ian.

So please - if you are a Tesla, Rivian, General Motors - you name it. Please reach out to me personally, I’m happy to help facilitate these meetings.

I’m available at jimmy.patronis@myfloridacfo.com or you can find me on Twitter at @JimmyPatronis. 

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