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 ?

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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on March 29, 2009 at 9:42am

Do you have a copy of any forms you would fill out for inspections, permit you would have to carry etc.

sop, sog

Art
miraroadvolfire@hotmail.com

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Permalink Reply by Art Sutherland on March 29, 2009 at 9:48am

Please send any sop/sog, permits, inspection forms.

I am trying to have the Nova Scotia Gov. lets us run a Green Curtousey Light as they do in other Provnices in Canada. Please visit my site and see if you guys have anything I could add to it.

http://greenlights.synthasite.com/

Art

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Permalink Reply by Bob on March 29, 2009 at 10:01am

guys in NSW Australia , were not allowed to have either lights or sirens in out POV only in the Fire Trucks , police cars and Resuce trucks

but my station 95% of the time as a full Crew in the truck and on the road Road, in Full PPE in 4 mins we are a entirley Volunteer station

so not bad considering we dont have lights and sirens in our POV.s

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Permalink Reply by justin d. boehmer on March 29, 2009 at 11:11am

i think all members excluding explorers should have lights and sirens for responding to the station and the scene if nessecary to respond to the scene of the incident

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Permalink Reply by Shawna Syth on March 29, 2009 at 11:43am

I think that volunteers should be aloud to have lights and sirens but they should NOT be allowed to take advantage of the privilege. So they should follow all traffic laws and only go 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. That is so accidents don't happen while on route to the firehouse.
respectfully,
Shawna syth

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Permalink Reply by Shawna Syth on March 29, 2009 at 11:46am

I also agree with Justin that explorers should not be allowed to have lights or sirens because most of them are not experienced drivers and can cause accidents but also in my dept we have to report to the firehouse before we get to go to the scene.
respectfully,
Shawna syth

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Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser 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 Dumser 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 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.