Over in my area this is a well talked about topic, Green responce lights on Firefighters cars to respond to the fire hall in the event of a call. Noone whould ever speed to get to their fire hall but i know everone has been stuck behind that one person that is driving ridiculously slow, and i just want to get feedback on this topic; if anyone thinks its a good idea, or if some firefighters already have these?
Iowa uses blue for firefighters or blue & white for firefighter/EMT's. No sirens are allowed and you must obey all traffic laws. But you can usually get away with 10 over the posted speed limit and proceeding through a red light after the intersection is clear.
In my are of NC we use red and white I personally have a 90 watt strobe box with 6 heads two red dash lights 1 in each corner of the windshield and two red grille lights and people seem to get out of my way pretty good but I just dont see how green says FIRE DEPT. no offense
they allow proceeding through a red light? Here that's how FF's get their licenses taken, they are really strict on anything beyond speeding a few over.
I'm just not sure of the benefit of a beacon compared to the risk and pain in the arse paperwork. Half the population can't seem to notice a massive red truck decked with strobes, beacons and a siren. In reality packing a beacon almost puts you more at risk because it might give some SOB the idea he can give the FD a hard time.
Also most of our guys need to relax and keep calm. Flashing lights seem to put FF's into a excited state. Hmmmm, I wonder why?
But seriously, I understand the idea, I'm just not sure it will help unless you are allowed to throw the light at the motorized zombie.
Here in NY - Fire Departments use blue lights ( Chiefs are red ), EMS use green lights unless they are carrying oxygen then they run red, and police use red and blue to the rear... Hope this helps you.....
In my part of PA we use blue for Firefighters and Red with sirens for Chief and AC. People dont get out of the way so I dont bother turning them on half the time. The funny thing is They ask you what took so long? Well if you would let us by when we are behind you we would have a better responce time! (we get out the door on average with in 3 to 5 min. of the 1st page out)
NYS Green lights are for volunteer ambulance services, just to clarify.
We don't really have those in Western New York state (Buffalo area and southwest towards PA.)
A lot of people use blue lights to get from their home to the fire hall (especially apparatus drivers) or to get to scenes. They are not emergency lights. The police will define them as "courtesy" lights or say their only purpose is to identify the driver as a firefighter to traffic controllers at a fire scene (I think you could use a window sticker for that, much cheaper too! But that's for another day.)
Green lights in the state of Maryland are suspose to be by law for Taxi Cabs to let the police know that a cab is being robbed or in trouble, but we have fire companies that use the lights on their apparatus as response lights with red and white lights because the police and law enforcement units can only have blue lights or red and blue depending on the county or city they are in.
Some of them wanted that Patroit look with red, white and blue lights on their apparatus.