Hiller featured in First Responders Guide to Battery Storage Safety
As Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) continue to expand across the U.S., fire safety has become a critical part of building community trust in clean energy infrastructure. The American Clean Power Association’s First Responders Guide to Battery Storage Safety highlights why proactive planning, modern codes, and close coordination with fire professionals are essential to protecting people, property, and the power grid.
BESS facilities are designed to strengthen grid reliability, but they introduce unique fire risks that differ from traditional industrial or structural hazards. The guide emphasizes the importance of understanding system design, pre‑incident planning, and compliance with NFPA 855, the national standard governing fire protection and hazard mitigation for energy storage systems. Education and preparedness, especially for firefighters and emergency responders, are key to reducing risk and improving outcomes if an incident occurs.
Hiller’s Role in Advancing BESS Fire Safety
At Hiller, fire protection is not an afterthought. It’s an integral part of how complex facilities are designed, protected, and maintained. As energy storage projects grow in scale and complexity, Hiller’s expertise in code‑compliant fire protection systems, life safety design, and emergency response coordination helps bridge the gap between emerging technology and real‑world safety.
Hiller supports safer BESS deployments by:
- Applying deep knowledge of NFPA codes and fire protection standards to modern energy infrastructure
- Designing and maintaining fire protection systems that account for unique battery fire behaviors
- Collaborating with facility owners, AHJs, and first responders to support pre‑incident planning and readiness
Learn more by reviewing the video below which features Hiller subject matter experts Paul Hayes, Bobby Ruiz, and Mike Nicholas exploring how industry‑wide safety leadership supports a safer energy future.
Resources like the Clean Power Association’s BESS fire safety guide reinforce what Hiller sees every day: fire safety, education, and collaboration are essential to ensuring that clean energy investments are also safe, resilient, and community‑ready.
The First Responders Guide for Battery Storage Safety video and the information contained therein is for educational purposes only.
Users of this guide should not rely exclusively on the information contained therein and should apply sound business, scientific, engineering, legal and safety judgment in employing the information, or, as appropriate, seek the advice of a competent safety professional in determining the exercise of reasonable care or other actions to take or not take in any given set of circumstances. This guide is not a substitute for health and safety training.