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Should a fire department use unmarked fire vehicles verses identified vehicles?
- Is being "low-key" of value to the fire service?
- Should we choose generic colored vehicles to blend in with hidden lights and sirens like the law enforcement detectives?
- Or, should we use identified vehicles that have conspicuous markings identifying the vehicle as being a part of the fire department?
- What does your department do?
This takes stealth to new levels... taxi-police car...
This is out-of-the-box thinking I suppose...
There's always the good ol' Ford Crown Vic...
Is it really that "stealth"?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Richard Shankman on
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I'm a deputy chief in my company, no car allowance, no issued vehicle. Currently there are red lights on my suv, with siren, and covers the 360 issue. I have no FD markings, and when I'm out of town with it, I cover the lights. My front plate also has a fd name and position attached. I'm in NY State (not the city).
Suggestions? Improvements? I'm all ears, within reasonable expense. This is the way our company has been doing it since day one (about 100 years) in one manner or another.
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Permalink Reply by Chief Dino on
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To my knowledge, We don't have any unmarked vehicles in our county with the exception of the City Fire Marshall, who works for PD and is technically a police officer. He drives a subdued crown vic, white with silver reflective lettering, dash light and corner strobes (I believe).
TCSS
Shawn
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Denis Wayne Laverdure on
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Ask yourself THIS...Do you even remotely think.That the Fire /Rescue Department should not be SEEN or HEARD..??????Check your HEAD...Crew Chief Laverdure
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Permalink Reply by Shareef Abdu Nur on
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I understand that with many chief vehicles, some are low key and almost undercover because these chiefs use the vehicles off duty and do not want to draw unnecessary attention to themselves or their family. Thjey have hidden lights that are to be used when they need to respond from home. OK, I get that. In the vey same sense, duty vehicles that are manned by on duty battalion chiefs, shift commanders, district chiefs, etc. should be marked and as visible as possible for safety reasons.
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Permalink Reply by Joseph Hebert on
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Threre is no valid reason for us to hide our presence. We should be using every opportunity to get life safety messages out to the public. We are not cops, FBI, CIA etc. We should be using our staff vehicles to convey fire safety messages. This also allows for the public to approach us and give us the opportunity to interact with them and pass along life safety information.
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Permalink Reply by Andrew on
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Stealth mode should be used for law enforcement ONLY. The reason that law enforcement uses unmarked cars is to blend in to try and catch crimes in progress. Yes, law enforcement is there to deter crimes, but sometimes a criminal will wait (or at least a smart one) till a marked officer will leave an area to commit a crime. An unmarked car can sit in a parking lot and no criminal will suspect them.
Fire/EMS vehicles should be obvious. We have no reason to hide or be stealthy.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Klaene on
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unmarked doesn't mean hidden it means we are not advertising-- firefighting is the best job in the world why would we not want to advertise it . Fo r volunteer departments I want my community to see everything we do. I want them to know we are out there doing our job and maybe just maybe get more volunteers.
We investigate fires all the time with marked vehicles and in uniform and they are successful investigations. In our area I wouldn't dream of entering someone's private property without a marked vehicle or in uniform
I agree there are a lot of public unmarked vehicles out there but that doesn't make it right. As a taxpayer when I see a government plated vehicle go by I want to know what agency it is.
Being unmarked can and has led to abuse.
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when you say "my suv" is that your personal suv? If it is does your auto insurance cover running it in emergency mode? Mine wouldn't. If it is a department car then why not have a FD logo on it ?
You don't need a complete graphics layout-- I use $40 maltese cross decals from Galls, reflective and are customized lettering with teh department name. even available in mag mount
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I'm a member of a big fire service, very big.
.. We have vehicles used by senior managers (non operational) who have the use of a vehicle for business and private purposes. They don't have lights/sirens. Not marked as Country Fire Authority (CFA) vehicles.
.. The senior operational staff have a CFA vehicle for business and private use. Mostly unmarked, but with siren and hidden lights. Rarely any need for emergency road travel.
.. Non-operational staff using pool vehicles. All marked. No lights/siren. Not used as emergency vehicles.
.. Operations Officers, (possibly 'Battalion Chief in North America?), uniformed personnel, have fully marked vehicles with lights/siren. Allowed to be used for private purposes when on call. (Seeing that could upset some people maybe?)
My point behind all that? There can be a lot of different requirements by different organisations. Not always is it suitable for all uses to have marked vehicles.
Why does lack of marking, lack of visible lights imply 'stealth mode' to so many people? It is not always desirable to have all vehicles marked! There are also officers who may purchase a vehicle under their work contract for both business and private use, other people here have noted the use of marked vehicles for private purposes and not liked that use. Perhaps the person has the full right for that use? Can we tell just by looking at the marked vehicle? Unmarked (not stealth) vehicles fitted with lights that cannot easily be seen (when not in use) can be the best way.
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Permalink Reply by Greenman on
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I've read all the responses to this question, and I can think of two reasons for having unmarked Fire Department vehicles.
1) Arson Investigation. However this position is usually either located within the Police Department, or the Fire Department position is a "Mandated Position" which means it is a law-enforcement position within the Fire Department.
and
2) They are "whackers" who don't want to spend their own money on Lights and sirens and other toys for their vehicle. This applies to those Chiefs who push for the unmarked Chief's car with the undercover package. Perhaps they see all of the Volunteers' POVs at calls with their hidden strobes and have become jealous of the Vols...?
The only valid reason I see is the Arson Investigator, otherwise all non-law enforcement government-owned vehicles should be properly marked.
What's next, "stealth garbage trucks," and "undercover water works vehicles?"
Greenman
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Permalink Reply by Zach Pfeifer on
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We need to have marked that way ppl know if they cant see your lights but the can read FIRE on your vehical and they here sirens they can move and not sit there just like they are stupid.
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