What is you departments rules/laws on using lights on your vehicles?



I am refering to Fire departmentsand EMT/MMR BTW.


thanks,
Russian

our EMS SOP's were very scrict on it up in my old 911 service.

If the lights came on, you had better be going to a priority 1 or 2 call.

Once on, they stay on. No using them just to blow red lights.

The lights never come on without at least 1 siren being on (while traveling)

In my new transfer service, I doubt our lights even work.

bump  




anybody else?

In illinois:

Volunteer firefighters or members of a rescue squad can use blue flashing,rotating or oscillating light in conjunction with wig-wag style headlights. Light can only be used when responding to a bonafied emergency. No sirens are allowed. Misuse is a Felony.

Fire Department/District apparatus can use a combination of red,white,green,blue or amber flashing rotating or oscillating lights. Most departments follow NFPA standards for vehicle lighting. Lights SHOULD be used in combination with audible warning devices either siren or air horn. Light and sirens can only be used when responding to a bonified emergency.

Department wise:
No blue lights on the highways or out of District Boundaries
No blue lights mounted facing rearward or behind the driver
Certain calls- trouble alarms,special services and citizen assists are no lights and sirens

In Virginia, emergency warning lights AND continuous, sound-modulating siren are required in conjunction in order to qualify as an "emergency" vehicle, which then opens up the 7 exceptions to the motor vehicle code.

Disregard speed limit while taking due regard for public safety
Pass on the right while taking due regard for public safety (siren not req'd)
Pass in no passing zone while taking due regard for public safety
Pass in an intersection while taking due regard for public safety
Disregard traffic signal devices while taking due regard for public safety
Stop, stand, or park disregarding other provisions of the code, while taking due regard for public safety
Disregard direction of turn restrictive signage with due regard for public safety


Personal vehicles are not allowed to be equipped with a siren, and therefore are not exempt from ANY of the motor vehicle code provisions. Personal vehicles may be equipped with no more than TWO (2) emergency warning flashing lights of red or white color, of a type to be approved by the superintendent of state police. Two emergency warning flashing lights is often practically considered to be two power sources, not bulbs or "light" units.

My fire department uses mostly some variation of MX7000's. My police department uses mostly whelen edge lightbars.

My fire department and rescue squad have limited use of personal lights, probably no more than half have them. Personnel may activate warning lights while en route to an emergency call, however, since neither agency allows personal vehicle response to the scene, only to the station, there's not a whole lot of need for lights. I sold mine years ago to some new squirrel, pocketed the cash, and probably bought guns with it!

I run Red and Blue in my truck.

My VFD allow blue lights & wig wags. Original rule was 1 light (dash), but a lot of the guys run multiple light setups. I used to run a window light, back flashers (brake backup), and strobes on the back deck of my Taurus in the old days when I was rolling to a lot of calls.

Now I just have an old Whelen Cadet light on the dash of my pickup.

My full time FD doesn't want "a bunch of firemans runnin' 'round with lights" . Probably has something to do with the generally southern backgrounds of most of our constituents and a fear of unmarked vehicles driven by goo 'ol boys who wore sheets on weekends.

Hey - it's the only sort of logic that makes sense, since nobody in a poistion of authority has been able to give us a official answer like concerns over insurance and liability...

[hijack]

I find that amusing since I had to use my dash light to get around a roadblock for a fire last year.

I responded on the way home from an electrical job in my truck. When I approached the scene, the cop on roadblock detail refused to let me pass until I lit up, then he hauled *ss moving his squad.

I pulled up to the scene and threw it in park, and another officer came running over and started to get in my face about driving around the roadblock.

HOW DID YOU GET AROUND THAT OFFICER DOWN THERE?

I turned on my blue light.

AND WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT BLUE LIGHT SUPPOSED TO SIGNIFY?

It goes with this (pulling out my credentials) and the turnouts in the back...

 Oh sh*t... hey Tango. Sorry about that.

No problem.. you're used to seeing me in all blue with tin driving a BRT.

[/hijack]

i know VA regulations on lights are very strict. one of the guys in my dept was a trooper who specialized in that area and one day he started to name off all the stuff that was allowed and not allowed on emergency vehicles. it took all day for him to explain it all.

Yep, you're dead on. Corner strobes weren't even allowed until Ford and Chevy started putting them in from the factory.

Pretty strict indeed!

I am an state safety inspector and you need a lawyer to read the inpection manual on lighting.

Damn, I wanted to put those neon glowing things under my new engine.

Quoted: I am an state safety inspector and you need a lawyer to read the inpection manual on lighting. Damn, I wanted to put those neon glowing things under my new engine.

Just put the glowing valve stem caps on your new spinnaz instead!

Quoted: Quoted: I am an state safety inspector and you need a lawyer to read the inpection manual on lighting. Damn, I wanted to put those neon glowing things under my new engine. Just put the glowing valve stem caps on your new spinnaz instead!

Spinnaz.....right.....how bout my 20 year old moped



I had neons all over my car (Intrepid) but I coulndt run on the road with them on.  Never got tickets for em.....got pulled over lots of time but never got a ticket.  My record is 3 times in less than 30min.  By three different officers.  Guess the first 2 hadnt got all the way throught the system