Volunteers with Lights and Sirens

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Permalink Reply by Brian D. on March 29, 2009 at 11:54am

I would have thought this issue would have been beaten to death already! There's gotta be dozens of these threads here.

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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on March 29, 2009 at 5:10pm

I understand where you are coming from but you did come here and read it. Some of us still like to talk about this subject. Do you have a veiw about the lights to show if they should be or not be used. You have 14 years in the Fire Service and you should have some good opions in what you have seen.

I for one would like to hear what you have to say.

Art

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Permalink Reply by Brian D. on March 30, 2009 at 2:39pm

My F.D. put a stop to the use of blue lights while responding to the stations in POV's. This was done at the request of our insurance provider. While we've never had anyone involved in an accident while running with a blue light, we felt that responding to the stations from home or from within the Fire District, we weren't actually saving any time by using a blue light.

I realize that there are some F.D's out there that acyually could save time using whatever color light your State allows, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with that. Most States view lights in POV's as "courtesy" lights that grant the user no special powers, merely asking the other motorists to yield and let you pass.

As far as sirens go... It would depend on what your State allows, and what your Fire Department regualations allow.

A little common sense goes a long way! You can't help if you never get to the scene or the station because you wrecked your car on the way! Slow down and wear your seat belt!

Thus endeth the sermon. Stay safe!

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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on April 4, 2009 at 10:38am

Now see that, this is the kind of reply you would like to see from 14 years. lol I know what you mean about the subject being beat to death but there is still some places that would like to have the use of the Lights.

Thanks for the reply. I just want to hear both sides of the issue as I am the Volunteer Firefighter in Nova Scotia Canada that this trying to have our Province allow us the use of a Courtesy Light.

I only read replies that are respectfull of each side and the ones that put down Paid or Volunteers, I just skip them. People can have few either way but atleast they could respect each other no matter which king of Department you belong to.

Things like, idiot, dummy, etc. has know place in these posts.

when we are called to an emergency we will all go into the burning building Paid or Not.

Show some respect for each other.

And once again thanks for your reply Brian...

Art

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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on April 4, 2009 at 10:40am

Sorry I forgot.

My site

http://greenlights.synthasite.com/

Art

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Permalink Reply by John Patrick Kelly on March 30, 2009 at 2:51pm

We have them at our FD, and the guys know that if they are caught breaking the law while responding with them they will be suspended and we pull the light and the permit. I have only used mine a few times responding. Most of the time you get there just as quick with it off. The ONLY time a volunteer FF should be allowed to step up the response is if there is immenent life danger, but that again comes down to abuse of emergency response if not outlined and defined properly.

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Permalink Reply by Alan eeyore fife on March 30, 2009 at 3:00pm

where i volunteer the only way you can have lights is if your firepolice

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Permalink Reply by Kevin Benton on March 30, 2009 at 3:02pm

I THINK VOLS SHOULD BE ALBLE TO HAVE LIGHTS IF THE USE THEM FOR THEIR INTENDED PURPOSE AND NOT OUT THERE JUST TRING TO PULL PEOPLE OVER OR USING THEM AS A JOKE! SIRENS ON TEH OTHER HAND SHOULD ONLY BE FOR CHIEFS AND OFFICERS IN MY OPINON.

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Permalink Reply by Andy Partridge on March 30, 2009 at 3:49pm

Hi, I dont know much about your system with volunteers as I am from the uk. But can you answer me this...... if while under lights and sirens you had an accident because maybe you were driving faster than normal road speed.
would you be insured by the service/ brigade?
would it increase your insurance car premium? (at whos cost)
Do you think that you may cause other road users to panic (like they usually do when someone hammers up behind them with sirens and lights lol)
This could slow down your attendance time.
Personally I dont think any of you who are volunteers should take the risk

Over here we have part time who respond from their houses in their cars (at normal road speed no lights etc), they should live within a set area and be able to attend the station within 5 mins of the alerter activated.

I really think it would be a bad idea and open for abuse thats one of the reasons its not implemented here.

Andy

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Permalink Reply by Glenn.D.C_15 on March 30, 2009 at 5:32pm

To answer you're questions (at least in the area where I am from).
First off, we are only allowed 1 flashing light that is to be mounted on the inside of the vehicle.

would you be insured by the service/ brigade? We are covered under our own insurance, the fire department takes no resposibilty for members responding. If any incidents occur while responding, you are on your own.

would it increase your insurance car premium? (at whos cost) We aren't considered "emergency vehicles" so our insurance rates do not go up. I have heard of some people who's rates do go up, if they even get insurance at all. Which is at their own cost.

Do you think that you may cause other road users to panic - Most people in our area know to move over, there are also others that should not be on the road, that have no idea what to do, even when there is a Firetruck behind them. I personally keep enough space between myself and the vehicle in front of me, for such instances, if someone slams on the brakes, I have enough time to adjust, and react. It is up to each member to exercise caution and discretion when responding to the fire hall.

To say that we shouldn't take the risk, is telling us not to respond. There is certain risk in even the most mundane of daily tasks. It is up to each member to decide how much "risk" they want to put themselves in while responding.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Koontz on March 30, 2009 at 3:50pm

I've never been in a dept where they were allowed, so I understand the traffic issue. I was in one dept where I was a 5 minute walk from the station, the other is a 10 minute drive. The upside is it gets people to the apparatus faster, which gets the apparatus where its needed faster. The downside is the idiots that every dept has on its roster that would abuse the privilage, drive like morons, or just cause more havoc responding to a call and creating more calls than the one they were responding to. Its definitely a double edged sword, and then theres the insurance issues. Most dept's don't want to pay the costs associated with possible accidents. I think if we're going to put lights on our POV's there should be some training and evaluations that precede it, just like we require before we put drivers in the rigs. I'd love to have them on mine, thats for sure, but then again I know how seriously I take driving. I know when and when not to turn on the "bright pretty lights". Our Chiefs always had dept vehicles, so lights and sirens were always they're option. Not sure the new, 19 year old just out of the academy really needs to have that kind of equipment on his own vehicle.

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Permalink Reply by Brad Lieut. #407 on April 1, 2009 at 9:22pm

YES! I'm a volunteer fire fighter. Just about everyone in our department uses them. We have personal vehicle inspections, once a year, to ensure that our vehicles are up to State of Ohio safety laws and regulations. If you have lights, you have to have sirens also. We purchase our own, out of our pockets. Every body in our dept. has a full time job, other than fighting fires. I would like to give my thanks to every volunteer who does the same. I feel volunteers get crapped on alot, instead of appriciated for the time we spend trying to do this wonderful job and not paid for doing it. It' a great feeling, knowing that I give this little bit back to my community and my community gives that THANKS back to us!!! Thank GOD for Volunteers!!!!

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