Local Emergency Light Laws

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Permalink Reply by Chuck Wright on January 26, 2009 at 12:57pm

in Michigan we have to have a 360 view of a light and a siren, and people do give you the right away most of the time

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Permalink Reply by Jim Madison on January 26, 2009 at 8:57pm

Well my whole deal on this is if you are responding in your POV with lights and all YOU are sticking your neck out for a law suit. Granted I am on a paid department but also work as a volley on the side. I do not have lights on my POV even though they are allowed in my state. I just assume take my time and get there in one piece and not put anyone in danger. Sad thing is I have seen guys going like a bat out of hell for a brush fire. No need for that much speed brothers and sisters.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy Warshaw on January 26, 2009 at 9:00pm

Lights don't = high speed for all of us that utilize them. I understand what you are saying, but based on your comments, why bother running lights and sirens on apparatus?

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Permalink Reply by Josh on January 26, 2009 at 9:00pm

In michigan our laws are not that strict. When having lights on your POV you can run all red or red and white lights. When having lights you have to have a 360 degree view of at least one light. You also have to have a siren. The state says when emergency lights are on you have to have your siren on as well. In order for you to get lights on your POV you have to take a emergency driving course with a written and driving course.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy Warshaw on January 26, 2009 at 9:05pm

SC Code is written in similar fashion.

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Permalink Reply by Asst Chief Tim Cook on January 31, 2009 at 1:09pm

This law hasn't changed substantially since the 40's. Has traffic? The Maine lawmakers have the heads so far in a dark spot it isn't funny considering about 92%of the State of Maine is protected by VOLUNTEERS. Ignorant law.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Mason on February 4, 2009 at 9:15pm

You think your laws are strict I live in Indiana where we run blue lights and NO SIRENS we are allowed to have only 4 sets which if you have a full size bar that counts as 2 we up until 2 years ago are now allowed to run wigwags our DO NO WRONG INDIAN STATE POLICE will even write you a ticket if you are in violation if you are in the wrong they will even do it on an emergency scene, Oh yeah now for the best part running a blue light as a volunteer fireman on your pov does not make you an emergency vehicle and you must obey all traffic laws that means stop at all traffic lights until green if you got it worse than this I would love to here about it.

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Permalink Reply by John Rulli Jr. on February 4, 2009 at 10:11pm

Pa is blue visable 360 for ff and red w/siren for asst. chief and chief. FF must obey all traffic laws!

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Permalink Reply by JPB on February 15, 2009 at 4:34pm

Any Blue light in New York that has a speaker grille or clear light in the middle, is considered two lights, and is not allowed.
I don't think you can get a 32 to 50 candlepowered light anyway, unless you tape a flashlight to your car.
According to revisions, blue lights are used on the rear of Police cruisers, and are only to be used in conjunction with an emergency response or a traffic stop.
To advise: when responding to an incident, and you approach a red traffi
Blue light carriers are not allowed a siren or electronic horn, and if you serve the public as some level and required to carry an amber light, and possess a blue light, you cannot use both.
For years Legislation has been trying to remove blue lights from our use..
When approaching a red traffic light, shut your blue light off, you can't go through unless directed by Law enforcement..

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Permalink Reply by Steven Vranian on February 16, 2009 at 6:39pm

In Goochland County, Virginia, we are allowed 2 lights or red and white either in your grille or on your dash. They may not be mini-bars, but can be virtually anything else. You aren't allowed to speed, however, people do pull over when they see you. It is understood where I live that if you see lights, get right.

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Permalink Reply by Jarrod on February 16, 2009 at 9:10pm

In the "Great State" = ( of New York Volunteer Fire Run Blue Lights And drivers DO NOT Have to pull over oh no and the people of new york know it and they don't you could have hundreds of lights and horn siren going and in fact SLOW DOWN some OTHER FIREMEN do pull over

IT SHOULD BE NEW YORK STATE LAW TO PULL OVER

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Permalink Reply by Luke Summers on March 2, 2009 at 5:23am

Well in my town in wyoming we are allowed red and clear, no rules on how many just have to have something at the grill level and one in the windshield. As for sirens, we can run them. In my veh i have 2 sirens, a whelen alpha12m mechanical tone and a carson volunteer remote, mainly so i can run the mechanical all the time and then run another tone with them.

Also here people have to pull over for volunteers responding. As soon as you turn on your lights and sirens you become an emergency veh and the public has to treat it as such.

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