The Ann Arbor Fire Department has a new tool for fighting fires at locations equipped with solar panels.
The department is now the first in the state to make use of a chemical spray called PV Stop. It’s a fast-acting and environmentally safe spray that coats solar panels to prevent them from generating additional electricity.
Ann Arbor’s fire chief, Mike Kennedy, says there has been a growing concern about solar panels among firefights because of the additional challenges they present.
“So, one of the issues that we deal with is the solar array is always on, and there’s not an ability to turn it off.”
That meant they could potentially electrocute someone or reignite a fire even after they have been disconnected from the power grid.
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