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Volunteers with Lights and Sirens
What do you think, should volunteer firefighters be allowed to have and use lights and sirens in their POV ? Should only the Chief an ASST. Chief be allowed to have them ?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Caleb Lindey on
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Personally I do not run lights and or sirens as my dept frowns on going directly to the scene, however I believe they do have thier place in the fire service. If I go directly to the scene of a car accident and I need to alert other drivers then having lights on my truck would be beneficial, however to many times I see "wackers" for lack of a better term, that respond unsafely and think that just because they have lights and or sirens that other drivers should get out of the way. It has been my experience that if people wont get out of the way of an engine running with full lights and sirens, what will my f-150 with a blue light do? I believe that if responders operate within the law, and use common sence that they can be a good tool to use, however it seems like every other day, someone is involved in an accident while running lights and sirens to a call. We are here to help not add to the emergency at hand.
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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on
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Hey Moose,
I do read most posts and post myself. What I don't do is repeat what others say just to say it. That gets old. I might agree with someone and post that but I read all the posts first so as not to be redundant, redundant, redundant, see what I mean? All that does is make it difficult to gather good info because you can't see the forest though the trees. Sorry for the thread hijack everyone but at least it is something different. TCSS
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Permalink Reply by Glen Alderfer on
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I agree some volunteers should have lights and sirens, but not all because there's a lot of people out there that would abuse the privilege. I know of two people already (not myself) that have abused the privilege already NOT going to an emergency just using them because they had them. I would say maybe the chief should have final say who can and can't use them in their personal vehicle. Definitely no one who is on probation though.
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Permalink Reply by WhiteLightning on
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In a word, "YES". I live in a gated retirement community. There are golf carts on the private roads as well as cars. I often blaze a trail for firefighters to get out the gate. When I only had a light, many wouldn't yield because they mostly looked forward and would clog the only way out. Since getting the siren, never a problem. It's amazing what 100 watts will do. Still need to drive responsibly.
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Permalink Reply by Bryan Kinderknecht on
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Our Department strongly advises the use of lights (state law prohibits the use of blue light:-( ) the general rule is 10mph over. if its a M.V.C with injuries we move a bit faster. I personaly have a mini halogen lightbar, and 6 hide-a-way strobes in the front of my vehicle and they work great. I also plan to get a siren. with that said I do not belive that lights and sirens justify driveng like a mad man, And responders need to use good judgment when responding. I do belive useing them makes your response a little quiker even if you are going the speed limit and and much safer for you and those around you.
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Permalink Reply by Josh on
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This is a good topic. I live in michigan and we are able to run lights and siren. Red or red/white only. I think that as volunteers we are able to use them. Now it doesn't give us the right away we are just asking for the right away. We have to take a class and a driving class with our department and send it in to the state to get approved to run lights and siren. So it is up to the chief if you are able to run and you have to pass just like getting a drivers lic. In my area if the volunteers weren't allowed to run lights then our response times would be very bad. We are a rual fire department and we don't have the money to have ppl at the station. I think the running lights and cutting down the response times makes it safe for the community.
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Permalink Reply by Brock Crawford on
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Here in Pa. we can only run blue, or blue/clear, red is only for Chief and Assistant. chief. Also the only people alowed to have a siren on their POV is the chief and Assistant Chief, only because they should be the only one's responding directly to the scene in the POV's. I know of 7 guys from different departments that were caught by the police running traffic lights and stop signs. To many people abuse the priviledge of having a light's on their POV's.
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That has happened to me several times even with a blue light, it can make you really mad especialy when its a call where apparatus are needed asap. I ended up getting grill lights for my truck since it was hard for people in car's to see my dash light. Ever since i got them i havent had it happen as many times.
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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on
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I noticed where you said to many people abuse the priviledge.
My question is, what was done to the people you know have abused the Lights?
My next question is, why do people think a firefighter would abuse a light and siren?
Do Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs abuse the Lights and Sirens?
If a Chief or Deputy Chief does abuse the Light and Siren what is done to them?
Why do people think when a firefighter is voted Chief or Deputy Chief they all of a sudden wouldn't abuse the Lights and Sirens but if they remained a firefighter they would?
I don't want to agrue about the Lights I am just asking some questions.
Art
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Can you answer the questions to.
I noticed where you said to many people abuse the priviledge.
My question is, what was done to the people you know have abused the Lights?
My next question is, why do people think a firefighter would abuse a light and siren?
Do Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs abuse the Lights and Sirens?
If a Chief or Deputy Chief does abuse the Light and Siren what is done to them?
Why do people think when a firefighter is voted Chief or Deputy Chief they all of a sudden wouldn't abuse the Lights and Sirens but if they remained a firefighter they would?
I don't want to agrue about the Lights I am just asking some questions.
Art
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Just one question.
Has there ever been an accident cause due to the Light?
All accidents are cause due to driver error not the light. If a guy is going to drive like a nut with a light he is going to drive like a nut with out it and they will drive like a nut in a fire truck.
Why don't we report these guys when we see them driving crazy. If we report them see how the accident numbers cut down.
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If this is your view on the time and Lights do you still run any as I see your a Deputy Chief. Do you take the risk or have you removed your Light.
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