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Local Emergency Light Laws
I was just wondering what the laws of your state say for POV's to have emergency lights and sirens. I live in Maine where we have very strict laws in reference to POV's and emergnecy lights, you can have two red or white lights in the grill OR 1 in the window if it is not obstructing your view. You have no special laws for responding and people do NOT have to pull over for you if they dont want. Also your not aloud sirens. I've been giving thought to moving to another state and I am hoping to see about your local rules and regulations.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Russ on
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This is a subject that has facinated me for a long time. i have served in 2 states as a volunteer FF and the warning light expierences are varied. i read many of the posts about this topic and from my own expierences as a Vol FF On Long Island in NY, i had 1 blue light and used it to go to the firehouse like everyone else. there were guys that had lots of blue lights on their cars and that could have been interpreted at excessive but i allways thought they were just dedicated (and had a lot of money). In my time the blue light issue was a rise and fall issue. it was not an issue unless it was made to issue...The police used to go on what i now call "blue light jihads" from time to time and bust guys because they could. as flashing light technology changed (to quartz halogen bulbs for instance) the cops began to enforce the candlepower issue until one guy defended himself with a devide that reduced the candelpower and a judge agreed that the police could not determine candelpower by sight and shape of bulb alone. they needed to have certified light intensity devices and certification to use it. they were not going to do that of course and the judge threw it out (they guy really didnt have a device, he just clipped some resistors on the wire and told the judge what it did)...i got tagged for having my one blue light with a mirror assembly on it. i beat it because the state statute does not prevent the use of mirrors...as a side note the PD that busted me got busted themselves for getting new patrol cars with red and blue lightbars. blue is reserved for use by Volunteer firefighters only according to state law...in florida where i reside now, Vol. FF in florida are allowed to use 1 red light and no sirens. we had sillyness here too. the law at one time was WRITTEN to be 1 red light on each corner of the vehicle and was later discovered that one word was missing in translation when it was printed into law...it should have said 1 light VISABLE from 4 corners of a vehicle. there were guys that had 4 lights on their cars, it was funny to see before it was corrected. because of a rash of impersonators, the sheriffs department wanted to be advised every time a volunteer department went on a call and actually stopped a bunch of guys going to calls resulting in a room and contents fire becomming fully involved. the cops down here once had the authority to cite a fire departyment for "going past" a scene after they canceled them. kinda hard to do a U turn on an interstate highway after a rainstorm wet the grass. i personally like ohio where you can have lights and sirens...for those of you that believe that this is a silly issue, remember that in some states possession of warning lights is a symbol of membership and an outward sign to the public of awareness and trust, when activated, people know what it means and to give the right of way--please--(we could be going to your house) an elder member of my department in NY once told me thet he didnt understand all the BS about blue lights, "we're only goin to the firehouse" (he had one blue light and never used it). as for myself i say, put on as many as you want DONT ABUSE EM! and enjoy the prestige it brings...besides, you're only going to the firehouse (where you're gonna get on something that had lots of lights and sirens and air horns
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In addition to my last post, Volunteer Ambulance members get to use Green Lights in New York State, i want to know in order to use them do you need to be a member, EMT or Paramedic? thats a whole new can of worms aint it-LOL
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"puts pistol grip 1-3/4 nozzle to side of my head and turns on water"-LOL! (my lights are on too)----u so evil
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agree with you--when i was up there i loved the 1 blue light law. we had a guy who had a blue twin sonic and got busted because of the speaker housing making it 2 lights. he beat it by putting a single blue light in the speaker housing-LOL and really got back when they made a one piece single areodynic with no speaker. it met the law because it was "one blue light" the law say nothing about leinght of it--LOL
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when i was a vollie if i could have had a Q, i would have...so what it costs 1200 dollars...GOTTA HAVE DA "Q"! IF people you pass dont have blood running from their ears and if ya aint bustin windows on cars you pass, you dont have enough-LOL
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so vollies in ny can now have as many as they want?...blue lights on the rear of police cars??? please claraify---and BTW what about vol amb. corps?
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just curious: how many vol ff's have been involved in mva's and have gotten into real legal problems? i know of none and was just wondering
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