Found on a Secret Service minivan

[nerdly_dood]

On a recent trip into the District, I stopped by the White House to see what blinkies I could find on the police vehicles certain to be found outside. Edge 9M... Edge 9M... Freedom... Liberty... Edge 9M... Outer Edge... Pinnacle... Fireb


wait.


wait.


CAMERACAMERACAMERACAMERACAMERA click click








Of course there was a uniformed Secret Service cop nearby talking to another security worker, and he of course noticed my rubbernecking so I had to ask him about the ancient light in his new van... "Well, I've been working here quite a while." I asked a few general questions to determine his level of interest in warning lights, but while I got a bit of information on the van itself,* my result with respect to that question was inconclusive. I didn't find out anything about the light itself other than what I could see, and what you can see in the pictures. I didn't dig as deep as I'd like since these guys aren't real friendly to that kind of thing. He seemed in his 30s or so... did he know the light was probably older than he was? Did he buy it himself, or did he find it in an attic somewhere? Did he have the slightest interest in warning lights, or did he just find an extra light for his van free?


Now a question for you guys, since I couldn't see a label: Is this a Fireball, or some other teardrop? There was no visible cable, but it was probably just behind it going down the right side of the center console.


* "Does this van respond to emergencies?" "Yes, all federal vehicles that respond to emergencies have to be white." I asked about the black Suburban that had just driven by, covered in LEDs; he said it didn't respond to emergencies. I didn't press any further on the subject... I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.

 

[wfdstation42]

To wide for a Fireball. Looks like an SVP.

 

[stansdds]

SVP or Signal-Stat, definitely not Federal Signal.

 

[BackYardSales]

I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.

The Feds have a lot of vehicles that are dedicated to security and escort of dignitaries that never 'respond' anywhere.

 

[patrol530]

A refreshing break from LEDLEDLED...

 

[BigWil]

* "Does this van respond to emergencies?" "Yes, all federal vehicles that respond to emergencies have to be white." I asked about the black Suburban that had just driven by, covered in LEDs; he said it didn't respond to emergencies. I didn't press any further on the subject... I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.

Sweet, thanks for the intel. I'm not gonna panic about the black SUVs following me, until they add some white ones to the mix.

 

[Fireball]

Of course it's a SVP !

 

[stansdds]

A refreshing break from LEDLEDLED...

Amen! :thumbsup:

 

[TheGatekeeper]

Yeah, an SVP with the 3 small magnets, definitely.


NYPD still fond of those aren't they? (Daslasers or FB3s, the "modern" teardrop, is still widely seen even combined with LEDs)

 

[Support Services]

Good light. A lot cheaper than using leds for a vehicle that probley uses it more for ID than hot runs.

 

[Respondcode3]

One of the US marshalls here has one he keeps in his explorer. He throws it up on the dash when he parks downtown so he doesnt get tickets. You cant see his lights and he says the meter people dont ever look at his placard on the visor. He has been there a while and he said it was his first light he bought himself in the 80's when the cars really had nothing for lights.

 

[BackYardSales]

He throws it up on the dash when he parks downtown so he doesnt get tickets. You cant see his lights and he says the meter people dont ever look at his placard on the visor.

I'm not sure that's a proper use for it, but ......

 

[Respondcode3]

I'm not sure that's a proper use for it, but ......

and your point is? Obviously you have never been downtown Chicago where parking near the Federal building is a premimum. The parking enforcement people are minimum wage hacks who would write themselves a ticket, they are so stupid and lazy. They have official US Marshall Offiial Business placards they put the visor but it is rarely ackowlweged buy these parking morons. If they see a big RED light they have some clue its an official vehicle.

 

[TheGatekeeper]

Yep... Moronic traffic warden are a nuisance everywhere it seems. We had our units parked on "delivery only" parking spot while on duty, displaying ID on properly lowered sunvisor, dashled on the dashboard, yet the wardens called in the tow trucks...


So I can completely believe a good ol' FB might save the day in similar circumstances...

 

[lafd55]

The Feds have a lot of vehicles that are dedicated to security and escort of dignitaries that never 'respond' anywhere.

If it's part of the uniformed division then yes it can respond to certian calls... The Uniformed Division is meant for security in and around the White House as well...

 

[JennyCop]

Nice! as stated above a nice break from all the LED's, I was in St. Louis MI recently, I was driving in downtown past a row of parked Crown Vics and I noticed a tear drop light also! Heres the pic I was like hey looky there! Nice! I was late to where I was going so I couldnt stop to get a better pic!

 

[Fireball]

well done Jenny


It's a Southern VP 1166 ?

 

[jph2]

"Does this van respond to emergencies?" "Yes, all federal vehicles that respond to emergencies have to be white." I asked about the black Suburban that had just driven by, covered in LEDs; he said it didn't respond to emergencies. I didn't press any further on the subject... I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.

And these guys ain't responding to an emergency...


eLightbars - FBI Special Operations Times Square NY

 

[NoVAFed]

"Yes, all federal vehicles that respond to emergencies have to be white." I asked about the black Suburban that had just driven by, covered in LEDs; he said it didn't respond to emergencies. I didn't press any further on the subject... I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.


That's news to me. Unless he meant white or any other color under the sun. The black Suburban covered in LED's is used for breaking through endless traffic backups in DC with their protectee's.

 

[Respondcode3]

I guess all the undercover cars that I install lights in for multiple goverment agencies who have every different make and model and color dont respond to emergencies.. DUH

 

[ejwa]

"Yes, all federal vehicles that respond to emergencies have to be white." I asked about the black Suburban that had just driven by, covered in LEDs; he said it didn't respond to emergencies. I didn't press any further on the subject... I guess we gave different definitions of responding to emergencies.


That's news to me. Unless he meant white or any other color under the sun. The black Suburban covered in LED's is used for breaking through endless traffic backups in DC with their protectee's.

I don't mean to nick-pick but, I live in the Daniel Boone National Forest and there is also a federal prison in the community. All prison vehicles are white except for the tranport buses. The prison uses chase cars and they can give chase just like regular police. So yes, emergency vehicles that repond to prison emergencies are white. However, I would have to disagree concerning the fire division of the U.S. Forest Service. All the federal fire vehicles I have seen are green but they do have red lightbars on top. Also, most of the law enforcement vehicles for the forestry service are white with a green stripe down the side, but I have seen some using green vehicles as well. These trucks, and they have always been trucks, use either all blue or blue/red lightbars. Maybe the forestry service has different regulations concerning their vehicles since they work in a "green" enviroment.

 

[FreshDave04]

We install emergency lighting on federal vehicles literally every week (or, at least we have, for about the last 2 months or so). We've seen white, blue, black, grey, red, etc. I can assure you, the FBI/DEA/US Marshals/DHS/etc vehicles we've worked on and/or built respond to emergencies.

 

[Skip Goulet]

I have one of each of the SVP "teardrops". One has the 50 c.p. incandescent bulb and the small, old-style magnets. The other has the newer "donut" magnet and a halogen bulb. Both are very nice and work quite well. Nothing beats an original FB1 Fireball, though.