4x4Lemm
Hey I was incharge of drivers training at my department for 4 years and here is my $.02. Oh yeah, I have not ran many calls in the past 6 months because I'm going to law school.

I would really look into the laws first before getting any type of lights or sirens. Here in Washington putting any lights on besides green lights (green lights have a lot of restrictions on them) and amber lights on your car and using them on public road ways is considered impersonating an emergency vehicle. This is just if you have lights on your car. There are a seprate set of laws on dealing with sirens. Here is a link to the WA RCW if anyone is interested WA RCW Vehicle Lighting Laws look at 46.37.190
You should really check with your fire chief and the STATE police. I say this because there is a lot of liability when you turn on those lights and siren.

Here is the bottom line that I'm trying to get across.... You hit someone with lights and sirens on.... in your private car or a department rig... YOU are going to be the one that gets sued. And after the person sues you they will sue your department.

I'm not trying to be an ass, I would just hate to see you get in trouble or sued.
If you respond and tell me what state you live in I can look up you criminal and liability laws on this subject and get back to you.

Good luck with the job

RED

 

Here in AZ...the only vehicles that can have emergency lighting other that vehicles with government plates, have to have an "E" sticker on the rear window. These are mostly private ambulance companies and such. No blue or red visible from the front. Only clear and amber lights are permissable on private vehicles.

:fireman:

 

Ok 4x4Lemm
You created quite a discussion in my class today.
Ok after looking around here is what I have found... All of this is so you can CYA (cover your ass).
The links are ones to the Ohio Revised Code laws that deal with fire warning lights and emergency vehicles.
I hope this helps. This took some work so I hope you read it... but if not Oh well...

This one deals with Definitions. Look at "D" and "E" and all of E's subscripts:
Definitions of Emergency Vehicles
Ok here is the info on Sirens:
Sirens
The important thing to read on this link is "D"
Lights
Ok here are some links on driving while in "Emergency Mode"
Driver Of Emergency Vehicles
This Is the most important of all of them (Everyone who drives an emergency vehicle should read this... It is practically the same everwhere). The Most important thing to understand in this law is: "This section does not relieve the driver of an emergency vehicle or public safety vehicle from the duty to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons.." In Non law terms this means if you hit someone or even if someone hits you and it is there fault... you will be the one that will be sued and possibly brought up on criminal charges. I most cases even if the other person was at fault, they can still sue... I could go into the whole "Due regard" more but It would take all day and several pages of text.

There are more laws that deal with Fire department Emergency vehicles so here is a link to the Ohio Revised Code dealing with Moter Vehicles and Traffic laws. I would write more but I have to prep for my next class.
If you have anyother questions that I can try to help with just ask. I would be glad to help.

RED

 

Thanks for the great info. Red. I am gonna make sure that before I spend a penny I talk to the Plain Township firechief. I do know though that all the volenteers and paid on calls run lights and sirens of many types, mostly just red/white though.

Also, thanks for the reminder about driving safely, dead firefighters save no lives. That point got emphasised real good round here a month or two ago. One of the med units was flying down a offramp and it was during an ice storm. The driver was killed, the EMT in back was killed and the patient lived, he wasthe only one wearing restraints. They just slid into a building sideways at about 45mph.

Thanks again. Hey Yoda, could you give me some pics and dimensions and some more infor on the stuff, I may be interested. Thanks.

Lamm

 

I’m not too sure if you’ve solved your lights issue, but I have a set of Whelen dash miser self contained strobes. Since my car is down and I plan on upgrading to leds I can make you a deal. You’ll have to buy new lenses from Galls cause mine are B/B. You can see them in this picture if you look close. I also happen to be a MIRT dealer (Traffic light preemption, turns red lights green. I love it) You can see mine in the second enhanced image. Let me know.