They save gas and make the air cleaner, but if an accident occurs, what's under the hood in your hybrid car could make saving your life tricky.

"It is very high in voltage and if you don't work around it properly, you can electrocute yourself," said Tony Klimek, who works at the Miller Auto Service Department.

First responders often need to get a driver out of a car, but hybrid vehicles have a wiring system that's quite different from their traditional counterparts.

"This electricity does go back and forth, the batteries are behind the back seat in this car.and this is what charges it and uses the power back there, so underneath the car, the wires also travel. So if the car is on its side or anything, you don't want to want to be grabbing hold of those orange wires," said Klimek.

If emergency personnel respond to an accident involving a hybrid car, there's a few things they need to know. For instance the difference between cutting this wire of live electricity and this wire that's connected to the battery, could spell danger.
 
"We want to make sure our first responders are safe out there so we want to get them the education," said Broome County Emergency Services Director, Brett Chellis.

That education came in the form of a first responder safety course offered by the county last fall. The response -- a class booked full. Due to the high demand,  the class is being offered again this year to step up awareness about hybrid rescue hazards.

"Where are these hazards located in the vehicle, how long is the vehicle energized after the ignition is shut off, how long does it take for the batteries to re-energize," said Chellis.

Knowledge will lead to more safe and successful rescues.

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