Red Lights and Sirens for Volunteers

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W1CRN

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I have heard rumors for a few different sources that CT is trying to get Red Lights and Sirens for Volunteer Firefighters and EMS personell. Can anyone confirm this and maybe provide a link to any proof of this? Cause I don't think it's true. Thanks
 

safetypro79

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If so, regardless of state it's responsibility......

Like states requiring EVOC ( Emergency Vehicle Operation Course) however only a handful of states that allow lights/siren option have strict requirements on placement, type and insurance requirements.

Since private vehicles are not emergency vehicles as such individuals dependent on their financial abilities and the wife.. LOL would purchase anything from a simple dash light to LED light bars, etc.

But as most would agree states should have a minimum standard for warning lights and driver training. But their auto insurer might have a big say it what they can do
 

firerick100

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I have not heard or read anything on this yet but as of now volunteer fire ems can only have the blue or green lights an d no siren, the volunteer chiefs & deputy chiefs are the only ones that can have a siren and red/blue lights in which they have to have a permit for & i dont know if they have to go through a emergency vehicle course for it but i believe they are covered if they have a license to drive the apparatus in which you have to go through a course And take a test
 

W1CRN

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I have not heard or read anything on this yet but as of now volunteer fire ems can only have the blue or green lights an d no siren, the volunteer chiefs & deputy chiefs are the only ones that can have a siren and red/blue lights in which they have to have a permit for & i dont know if they have to go through a emergency vehicle course for it but i believe they are covered if they have a license to drive the apparatus in which you have to go through a course And take a test

Yeah I haven't read anything either but have been told that there might be something in the works from the state legislature. Not sure tho as I haven't seen anything on it. CT is the only state in New England that does not have red lights and Sirens for volunteers. MA, RI, VT, NH and ME all have them so I could see CT following suit with them.
 

simfire479

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I have not heard or read anything on this yet but as of now volunteer fire ems can only have the blue or green lights an d no siren, the volunteer chiefs & deputy chiefs are the only ones that can have a siren and red/blue lights in which they have to have a permit for & i dont know if they have to go through a emergency vehicle course for it but i believe they are covered if they have a license to drive the apparatus in which you have to go through a course And take a test



Rick,

Fire chiefs can not legally run red and blue. The permit is only for red or red/white lights and a siren. I do know some that run red and blue but they are doing it illegally
 

safetypro79

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Secific response Insurance is covered by VFD

Somewhat OT: After out of curiosity and asking my wife who is a lawyer/regulatory insurance professional the volunteers private auto insurance would not cover them.

A specific policy with the VFD would cover their emergency response. Here in Idaho volunteers are allowed BLUE lights only but like a lot if states gives no exceptional traffic rights other than by other drivers to yield and allow them to pass. .

But she did mention " Volunteers had better have completed a documented and state/nationally certified course on EVOC or response parameters"

Bottom line : as most would guess if volunteers using emergency lights and siren are trained, have specific rules and regs and act in a manner consistent with safe emergency driving they should be fine.
 

BITT211

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Red lights/siren volunteers

Nys new law - you must pull your vehicle over to right/ or give right of way when you see a blue light approaching. You will get a ticket. Same as when police/ fire vehicle approach.
Volunteers must still obey , signal devices / stop signs etc.
That law will help somewhat .
 

Thunderknight

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Nys new law - you must pull your vehicle over to right/ or give right of way when you see a blue light approaching. You will get a ticket. Same as when police/ fire vehicle approach.
Volunteers must still obey , signal devices / stop signs etc.
That law will help somewhat .

Unless you can provide a citation, I believe you are confusing that with the move over (meaning a lane over) from a stopped volFF. There was a lot of confusion when that was added over the summer.
 

BITT211

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Red lights/siren

The new law states moving vehicles / blue light activated responding / the [move over law is in effect now ]
for emergency vehicles sitting still with emergency operations in use, you must move over next safest lane before passing incident
 

SteveC0625

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Nys new law - you must pull your vehicle over to right/ or give right of way when you see a blue light approaching. You will get a ticket. Same as when police/ fire vehicle approach.
Volunteers must still obey , signal devices / stop signs etc.
That law will help somewhat .
As pointed out, this is grossly incorrect. The blue (and green) flashing lights are courtesy lights while the volunteer's vehicle is traveling on the roadway. There has been no change in that respect. Motorists are under no legal obligation to yield to a flashing blue or green light on a vehicle that is in motion. But, given the mission of someone displaying a flashing blue or green light while enroute to an emergency call, yielding is the right thing to do. These courtesy lights give the volunteer no special privileges while in motion on the road.

What has changed is the the "Move Over" law now includes volunteers displaying flashing blue or green lights while parked at the scene of an emergency. This is an expansion of the law which now covers pretty much any emergency or service vehicle parked on the side of the road. You move over or slow down when approaching and passing these STOPPED vehicles.

In New York, blue is for volunteer firefighters, green is for volunteer EMS. They are treated equally under the "Move Over" law and other V&T laws related to displaying flashing lights.
 

izzyj4

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The rumor has been going around for years and there is nothing true of it. There was a push at one time to make all PD's run blue like CSP, Derby and Hamden did years ago. Since all PD's run blue / red more than likely you will not see volunteers get red lights. Only chief officers can run red lights.


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firebuff17

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I am backing up Izzy on this.
Has been talked about for many years but every year it goes nowhere.


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55engine

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Connecticut volunteer firefighters are only allowed to use blue lights with a permit a license plate that the fire department gives you some volunteers are allowed to use red and blue lights like some fire chiefs all up to what the town wants I have a uncle who lives in Tennessee and he is allowed to run with red and blue lights and sirens on his vehicle
 

georged4997

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Im a little tired of hearing about who got different color fire trucks or Who wants a red and white light
with a siren. Why not take some tests for Police and Fire Depts and you can have all the lights and
sirens you want. And this is from a guy that spent 7 yrs as a vol and 25 yrs as career. I thought
this forum was about radios?
 

MrAntiDigital

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Im a little tired of hearing about who got different color fire trucks or Who wants a red and white light
with a siren. Why not take some tests for Police and Fire Depts and you can have all the lights and
sirens you want. And this is from a guy that spent 7 yrs as a vol and 25 yrs as career. I thought
this forum was about radios?

I also agree. From "another guy" who has also spent 5 years as a volunteer firefighter and 30 years as a career firefighter. There are other web sites out there that cater to this type of discussion. Some are really hurting for topics and would gladly welcome this. That is where this should be brought up, not here. Where we hope to read and discuss the latest radio trends.

But please let me say this. As I rode fire trucks with red lights and sirens for many years on many responses, there were times that the assigned drivers had to be told, while responding, of the need to "SLOW DOWN". They were properly advised that their driving habits WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. Now we are going to allow UNSUPERVISED individuals, some who have not matured yet, to drive their personnel vehicles to incidents using red lights and sirens !!!

I think if firefighters really want to save lives, this is something they should really give serious consideration to. Because I can see this as; "AN ACCIDENT ABOUT TO HAPPEN". Then of course the city or town being responsible for it.

Think this over - WILL THIS SAVE LIVES OR WILL IT TAKE THEM ???
 

55engine

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I was also told the lights were only supposed to be used when you are coming on the incident scene you're supposed to obey the rules on the road while responding to a call not running lights and cut another car off I agree this website is for radios if people want to know about running red and blue lights look it up in the Connecticut statue
 

firerick100

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I also agree. From "another guy" who has also spent 5 years as a volunteer firefighter and 30 years as a career firefighter. There are other web sites out there that cater to this type of discussion. Some are really hurting for topics and would gladly welcome this. That is where this should be brought up, not here. Where we hope to read and discuss the latest radio trends.

But please let me say this. As I rode fire trucks with red lights and sirens for many years on many responses, there were times that the assigned drivers had to be told, while responding, of the need to "SLOW DOWN". They were properly advised that their driving habits WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. Now we are going to allow UNSUPERVISED individuals, some who have not matured yet, to drive their personnel vehicles to incidents using red lights and sirens !!!

I think if firefighters really want to save lives, this is something they should really give serious consideration to. Because I can see this as; "AN ACCIDENT ABOUT TO HAPPEN". Then of course the city or town being responsible for it.

Think this over - WILL THIS SAVE LIVES OR WILL IT TAKE THEM ???



Bravo well said wille and i also agree, you give a siren to every volunteer and you know there will be that 1 bad apple that will abuse it and hurt or kill someone while racing to a fire, ive seen it while active just with Having blue lights.
 
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