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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 INSP Daniel A. Onyskin on
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www.michigan.gov and click on legislation to look up 1949 PA 300 Michigan Motor Vehicle Code. Fire fighter POV's are allowed flashing, rotating or reciprocating lights of red or a combination of red/white. Sirens or other signalling devices are mandatory and may be a electronic siren, bells, whistles, etc. Lights must be mounted on roof and provide 360 degree view as well as visible from the front to 500 ft. Other lights may be added such as grill, bumper, etc. Lights and sirens are to be activated only during emergencies. Use of them otherwise may result in a felony charge, but more than likely a civil infraction. Blue lights are not permitted. They are reserved for Law Enforcement only. Off duty police responding in a POV are required to use amber rotating, flashing or occilating lights only, but I doubt its ever enforced. Here in Michigan, other than fire, EMS and police, tow trucks and road commission vehicles on a scene are considered "emergency vehicles" and the move over law applies to them as well.
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Permalink Reply by ff/emt 2155 on
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ooohhh no here we go again jane stop this crazy thing
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Permalink Reply by Trent Douglas Phillips on
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Here is the Nebraska state statute regarding POV Lights
60-6,233. Rotating or flashing red light or red and blue lights; when permitted; application; permit; expiration.
(1)(a) A rotating or flashing red light or lights or such light or lights in combination with a blue light or lights may be displayed on any motor vehicle operated by any volunteer firefighter or peace officer anywhere in this state while actually en route to the scene of a fire or other emergency requiring his or her services as a volunteer firefighter or peace officer but only after its use has been authorized in writing by the county sheriff.
(b) Application for a permit to display such light shall be made in writing to the sheriff on forms to be prescribed and furnished by the Superintendent of Law Enforcement and Public Safety. The application shall be accompanied by a statement that the applicant is a volunteer firefighter or peace officer and is requesting issuance of the permit. The statement shall be signed by the applicant's superior.
(c) The permit shall be carried at all times in the vehicle named in the permit. Each such permit shall expire on December 31 of each year and shall be renewed in the same manner as it was originally issued.
(d) The sheriff may at any time revoke such permit upon a showing of abuse thereof or upon receipt of notice from the applicant's superior that the holder thereof is no longer an active volunteer firefighter or peace officer. Any person whose permit has been so revoked shall upon demand surrender it to the sheriff or his or her authorized agent.
(2) A rotating or flashing red light or lights or such light or lights in combination with a blue light or lights may be displayed on any motor vehicle being used by rescue squads actually en route to, at, or returning from any emergency requiring their services, or by any privately owned wrecker when engaged in emergency services at the scene of an accident, or at a disabled vehicle, located outside the city limits of a city of the metropolitan or primary class, but only after its use has been authorized in writing by the county sheriff. Applications shall be made and may be revoked in the same manner as for volunteer firefighters as provided in subsection (1) of this section.
Source
Laws 1969, c. 327, § 5, p. 1171;
Laws 1971, LB 365, § 2;
R.S.Supp.,1972, § 39-788.04;
Laws 1981, LB 64, § 2;
Laws 1989, LB 416, § 2;
R.S.Supp.,1992, § 39-6,151;
Laws 1993, LB 370, § 329.
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Permalink Reply by Jordan Bryce Wiser on
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in my city we can run red-white-clear and sirens
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Permalink Reply by Chris on
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In VT you can have as many Red and White's as you want wherever you want, you may also run a siren. People must yield to you and you can clear intersections at red lights and what not, as long as you are in reason. a permit signed by your chief and DMV is required
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In a rural area they are needed almost as much as they are in the city, as usually it is a 15 to 20 minute drive to my department with lights and siren going
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Permalink Reply by Andrew Salinger on
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Has nothing to do with you guys, but over here in Victoria, Australia, all CFA owned emergency response vehicles are fitted with red and blue flashing lights and sirens. They are used when dispatch deems the emergency top priority and need the trucks to be able to get through traffic or at the driver/crew leader of the trucks discretion and the driver has passed a code1 driving course or has been endorsed by their captain to drive code1. Trucks are legally allowed to go 10km/h over marked speed limits when driving under lights and sirens. You cannot force another vehicle through a red light or intersection but you are allowed through if it is safe to do so. Other vehicles must give way to emergency vehicles traveling under lights and siren if it is safe to do so. Once on the fireground the flashing lights are used to alert other traffic or trucks that there are emergency vehicles around. Any brigade owned Vehicles are fitted with lights and sirens if they choose to do so.
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Permalink Reply by Tyler on
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GA-In Georgia you are allowed to run RED or Clear lights but must have an Emergency Vehicle Light permit signed by a fire chief, police chief, mayor, coroner,ema director, county commisioner, government official or sheriff . There is no limit on how many lights you can have. I have a red led 8-head dominator in the lower section of my grille, 2 split red/clear lin8s in the top part of my grille, 2 red lin4s down by my front tag angled out for intersection lights, a 4 head red led dash light, a red led undercover visor light bar, 2 red slimlights in the top of my back glass, a red 8-head dominator and two ls12's in the bottom of my back glass, 2 split red/clear lin4's on my license plate bracket, wig-wags on my high beams, and hide-away corner strobes in my taillights, reverse lights, fog lights, marker lights, and in the cargo lights on my third brake light, I also have dual whelen sirens. You must have a siren while operating emergency lights. The permit is valid for use all over the state if responding to an emergency call or on scene of an emergency call. The permit is just a small red sticker you put in the corner of your windshield. Once you have the permit you are considered a certified emergency vehicle in the state of GA while you are responding with lights and sirens to an emergency and all laws apply that apply to a ambulance, law enforcement vehicle or fire truck. This is actually a huge debate in GA between many law enforcement officers and firefighters. Some law enforement officers say you are only allowed to exceed the posted speed limit by 10mph and you can not run a red light and vehicles do not have to move for you but GA code section 40-6-6 states very clearly that you may exceed the posted speed limit (there is no limt to how much) as long as you use due regaurd for life, safety, and property and that you may proceed through a traffic control device or stop sign when it can be done safely. Also GA law makes it a ticketable offense for not yeilding to an emergency vehicle and for not moving over a lane or at least slowing down when you cant move over a lane for an emergency vehicle on the side of a road, highway, or interstate. Hope this helps
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Permalink Reply by james sharp on
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Well iam from southern illinios and they will let u run blue lights and headlight wig wags but traffic still doesnt have to let u by .But traffic here will pull over just because are u aloud to run a emergency radio in your pov , We are aloud it can have everything except police transmitt . It can have 911 and any emergency channels
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Permalink Reply by Sean Rogers on
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Vermont allows any amount of lights whether red or red and white... and you are allowed a siren as well.... You can put lights in grill, on back of rear view mirror, dash, roof, and you can have wig wags and or 4 way strobes if you desire so... I hope this helps you out...
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mackie on
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*FK Me this is getting tiresome. By now I suspect every state and province's light laws have been covered somewhere on this site... just type "light laws" in the sear.. awww nevermind.. just me yapping..
By the way, what does everyone think of vollies with lights and sirens on their POV? what colors would be the best? how many siren speakers should we have in the grill? What is the best brand of siren for use in a POV? If I mount my federal Q on the roof of my Datsun truck, and mount it facin backwards, would that create enough thrust to boost my speed so I can blast off through red lights going to a call?
Can I wire my scanner and radio and pager all into the siren so everyone on the face of the planet, especially the chicks in my class, will know I am a fireman and important?
what is ya'll's opinion on... colors of explorer's helmets? oh wait.. I can't hijack this thread... scrap that last question.
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Permalink Reply by Levi on
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HAHAHA!!! That was pretty good. When I started this thread I was just getting started and still full of Piss and Vinegar...Now... well, now I could care less about screaming to a call in a UFO of a decorated vehicle. To be quite honest, I prefer to take my dear sweet time because a few minutes really doesn't make that much of a difference anyway. So please, continue!
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