Volunteer Firefighters

[scannerman700]

In the State of Maryland is a Volunteer Firefighter allowed to run stobes and a flashing red light in Personal Vehicle when responding to a Fire/EMS call... I'm getting ready to become an Ocean City Volunteer Firefighter and that question was stuck in my mind... Thanks in Advance

 

[markgrutz]

According to Maryland law... no.

Here is a link to LexisNexis:
http://198.187.128.12/maryland/lpex...amp;fn=document-frame.htm&2.0#JD_tr22-218

I guess it's all about how your rank in your station, but for the most part the answer is no.

Mark

 

[scannerman700]

Thanks Mark,

I've heard 4 or 5 different stories about Volunteer FF's and EMT's using
Warning Lights on thier Personal Vehicles, the link that you provided to me, defines what the law is and stuff on warning lights... Thanks Again and BSAFE- Jay

 

[markgrutz]

Anytime,

I am just giving you the "rules". I also know of a few people that have some lights that they shoudn't have. The other side to this coin is the enforcement. I am sure police in places like Pocomoke City would probably not bother enforcing the law as much as say Baltimore City Police would. The actual fine for equiping your vehicle is $25 (as of the last printing of the fines list), now this will be just part of the fines if you run a red light or hit another vehicle. The wise decision is don't do it.... but if you do, know you have the facts...

Mark

 

[jbstahr]

In the State of Maryland is a Volunteer Firefighter allowed to run stobes and a flashing red light in Personal Vehicle when responding to a Fire/EMS call... I'm getting ready to become an Ocean City Volunteer Firefighter and that question was stuck in my mind... Thanks in Advance

I don't know about the perticular laws in MD, but the bottom line is safety and common sense. The lights and/or sirens don't give the user free reign to disregard traffic laws. When're you're running code 3 you still have to make sure the intersection is clear before proceeding. In fact, two cops in KS are in hot water for running a red light and T-boning another vehicle. It was all on their in-car camera and they didn't even slow down at the intersection.

 

[emtLarmy15]

I can speak personally for pocomoke city, as I am a Pocomoke City Police Officer, Volunteer FF in the Fire Company, and the President of the Volunteer Ambulance Co. Our police dept would definetly enforce lights on personal vehicle, as well as the fire company SOG's and the Ambulance Co SOG's strictly outline who may and may not run lights. There are actually several laws in the MD Transportation Article that cover red, white and blue flashing lights, so the fines could actually be numerous.

As for using your Emergecy Flashers, aka 4-ways, we do allow that, as long as the people using them operate their vehicles with alot of due care. All of our police officers can overlook a little speeding etc to get to the firehouse, but if it's excentric, people will get fines.

I do know that Ocean City Fire Company will not tolerate flashing red lights on a vehicle, as well as the OCPD won't tolerate it... so the answer is gonna be no. I do not know if OCFD allows the chiefs to operate lights in their personal vehicles as all of them have Fire Co issued vehicles to respond to calls in.

Chris

 

[troymail]

re: the LexusNexus article above:



(ii) In each volunteer fire company, no more than five of the following officers may have their privately owned vehicles equipped with red lights or signal devices which may be displayed only while on route to or at the scene of an emergency:

1. The fire chief or the highest ranking fireline officer;

2. One or more of the assistant chiefs or deputy chiefs, whichever rank is second in command; and

3. The emergency medical services commander.

(iii) 1. The fire police of each volunteer fire company may have their privately owned vehicles equipped with red lights or signal devices designed to emit an oscillating, rotating, blinking, or other type of emission of light.

2. The lights or signal devices may be flashed or oscillated or otherwise used only while the vehicle is at the scene of an accident, flood, or other emergency to which the volunteer fire company is responding.
============

These are usually at the discretion of the local juridiction and fire
department(s). Just because they are allowed by Maryland law,
some departments still do not allow them - particularly when those
officers have departmental vehicles with lights on them.

On a related note, I used to be active in a PA fire company and,
although PA allowed volunteers to have blue lights, my company did
not permit it.

 

[markgrutz]

sorry, I wasn't trying to start trouble with the Pocomoke City comment, I was just trying to think of a smaller town where the folks are more likley to know each other. I had family on 14th street and everyone in the town always seemed to know everything that was going on with everyone else, more so than in a big city like Balitmore. I ment no offense by it, and certainly didn't want to inply that they were any less stringent on the laws. But you also do have to admit that enforcing the laws are really up to the descression of the officers. I am sure that you probably wouldn't write someone for spitting on the sidewalk, even if there was a 100 year old law on the books.... well, unless they were really pushing your buttons

Mark

 

[emtLarmy15]

Mark,
Didn't take any offense at all to it... I promise... I thought it was neat that you mentioned Pocomoke... And you are correct about the Fire Departments having the right to not allow the law allowed personnel to use lights. But as what you said above about the smaller towns maybe allowing it, I don't know of any that do... I do know that the smaller "towns" that aren't actually incorporated towns, some of the lower ranking officers have lights... and the county or state police either doesn't know that they are not actually covered, or they choose to ignore it...

Chris