Sorry you can't drive your fire truck back to the firehouse.

NYS has apparently came up with a new DMV law about 4 years ago and forgot to tell anybody.. So now you can't drive your fire truck back from a fire call or go to a parade unless you have a CDL.

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=771996&c...

Our station may have to go "out of service" until we can match this requirement although NYS Association of Fire Chiefs think they have control over all of the volunteer stations. We do not have the funds or the manpower to meet this requirement. Our Governor is too busy with cuts to the budget to tackle this problem at this time.

So what do you think.

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Permalink Reply by Larry R on February 22, 2009 at 1:34pm

This reply is not actually aimed at this actual problem, but it does cross. I have been a Volunteer over 40 years here in NJ. I have been driving at least 25 of them without a CDL. I now own an ALF engine (20,000 lbs with Air Breaks) with Antique Plates privately owned and registered and have been trying to find the answer as to where I can drive on a passenger license. The NJ DMV has told me that they don't think a CDL is required because of the Firefighter Exemption and registration class of this vehicle. Has anyone crossed this path yet in NJ.

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Permalink Reply by Bull on February 22, 2009 at 2:50pm

here in Maine its the same,,a non cdl driver can get the rig to an emergency call,,but when theres no emergency,,a cdl driver has to drive it.
thats how the law states it,,but its not inforced that i know of.
that being said id have to say i believe anyone that drives a rig should have a cdl,,thats alot of weight being driven at high speeds ,,by a guy that his adreniling is pumping,,and his regular vehicle is a yugo

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Permalink Reply by morris washburn on February 22, 2009 at 3:41pm

Lt . I agree 100% , I have always said that if your dept. has a truck over 26,000 lbs gross then someone should have a CDL B .

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Permalink Reply by morris washburn on February 22, 2009 at 3:43pm

Opss sorry , you also need a tanker endorsment & air brakes too.

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Permalink Reply by Rom919 on February 22, 2009 at 8:48pm

Still no one has answered the million dollar question on adding more requirements to be a volunteer firefighter. How has these addition of requirements been on your recruiting and maintaining your membership? I still see after 30 plus years, the same fires and yet the membership numbers dropping, with the main reason, being the addition of new requirements to be a volunteer firefighter. Maybe the answer is we are getting more educated firefighters, but at 3 A.M. , I would rather have more manpower.

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Permalink Reply by Shawn on February 22, 2009 at 9:06pm

Senator Libious has proposed the change to exempt Fire Dept from having to have a CDL. It is in Legislation right now. It is looking like it will be changed, lets just hope the government is faster doing this than usual.
Also unless there was good reason, I don't think any decent cop would bother us.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Bordell on February 22, 2009 at 9:37pm

Thought it was gross wt of 33,000lb.

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Permalink Reply by Ed Bordell on February 22, 2009 at 9:40pm

Isn't the weight for a CDL at 33,000 gross lb. ?

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Permalink Reply by Rom919 on February 23, 2009 at 9:01am

Senator Aubertine is also adding his name to the sponsorship of this bill to get this DMV law changed. I believe that DMV should look at making EVOC mandatory before you jump into the rig and drive. This would be a fix, since a lot of the Insurance Companies provide this training along with NYS Fire.

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Permalink Reply by John on February 23, 2009 at 9:03am

That sounds crazy to me.

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Permalink Reply by BillySFCVFD on February 23, 2009 at 9:46am

Now you're talking R14541. TCSS

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Permalink Reply by FETC on February 23, 2009 at 10:14am

I am amazed that it took you guys four years to see this NEW LAW as quoted. LOL

New Hampshire exemption law is written the same way. You need a CDL for all non-emergency responses.

My question to you is this... who really believes they screwed up intent on the verbage? The verbage is there in our state to set some requirements for the FD organization but to NOT handcuff the department from saying we can't respond on an emergency.

Do I like the law? YES. Nobody should be driving the engine, ladder, tanker or big rescue with a regular motor vehicle license. There is no comparison! The CDL is documentation of some testing; written and practical from an outside agency. And for those who say we train our own here. My next question to you is when that truck gets into an accident, are you willing to place your own license, your job and all of your assets on the line to say, yeah the kid meets our or "my" minimum training requirements for the operation of that said truck.

The plantiff's lawyer will enjoy taking apart your personal training, the deaprtment's training program or lack of, and the lack of using an accredited program like the EVOC and CDL as a standardized benchmark, hell even the milk man needs a CDL.

Come on, when I was a vollie, my department required you to obtain a CDL to be an engineer. To be honest, it was not that much of a hardship to obtain personally... but at least when I go to court, I can say the EVOC Program along with the State of NH approved my training and practical test on said sized truck, and not Johnnie Gage; internal T.O.

Sorry but I like the law.