Movies & Television: Police, Fire & EMS Vehicles

irsa76

Member
May 24, 2010
342
Australia, NSW
And an important holiday message from the Canberra Amubulance and Police in 1988.
Interesting to note no Fire-Rescue as in those days the Police rescue did extractions at MVAs.
Also note that at the time Canberra was actually administered by the Commonwealth goverment.
Bit of trivia, any time you see an Australian license plate marked C of A that starts with ZZ, that indicates a traffic vehicle.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JazzDad

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
whatch the cadets change once they hit the ground.. LOL

 
  • Like
Reactions: LRGJr72

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
Here's one from The Monkey Hu$tle (1976). Supposed to be a CPD car. Very entertaining movie! What I love about this clip is how Yaphet Kotto went from playing one of the hu$tlers in this to playing a homicide lieutenant on Homicide: Life on the Street. Oh that and how he was Mr. Big/Kananga in Live and Let Die. Going from a Bond villain, to a hu$tler to a police officer. Bloody brilliant!

 

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
Anyone else looking for stuff on American Pickers? Saw an episode the other day, in the background guy had a model 17 with curved skirt, unknown two bulb rotator, and a Dietz 211? Another guy had a older style siren that I've seen in older car alarms.
These guys have wrecked the market. Can't hardly buy anything cheap.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WhelenNDealin

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Anyone else looking for stuff on American Pickers? Saw an episode the other day, in the background guy had a model 17 with curved skirt, unknown two bulb rotator, and a Dietz 211? Another guy had a older style siren that I've seen in older car alarms.
These guys have wrecked the market. Can't hardly buy anything cheap.

Just be happy the pickers haven't picked up those beacons or lightbars in their show and asked about them. The day that happens, "I've Got Gold!" Syndrome floods eBay, Craigslist, and wherever else.
 

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
Shawshank Redemption...the 1941 Caddy ambulance that transports Boggs has a chrome siren, Federal 78, maybe a Solaray, on the left bumper.

i009637.jpg


Police responding to the prison break, and later to arrest Hadley, bunch of Model 17s.
 
Last edited:

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
That Caddie should have ample power to pull all those lights and more since he's running an electronic siren. My '72 Superior Caddie came with a Leece-Neville 150 amp. alternator and two batteries. In its original form it had triple 184s on top; front and rear tunnel lights, a Q plus twin CP25 speakers over the cab powered originally by a Federal Director and later by a Unity SiTron, plus headlight flashers.

I bought the car in 1980 minus all of the emergency equipment except for the tunnel lights. I put a pair of red 17s on the front corners and a blue Dietz 211 center rear. Over the cab went a Q and twin TS100 speakers, and as I note above, a Unity SiTron siren in place of the original Director. I had no problem at all powering all of that. I could light it up and stand on the Q going through an intersection, and none of the lights would dim: even at night with the headlights on to boot.

Used to drive an old Mack....hit the Q, the rotators would freeze for a split second, and the SyntorX radio push button status would wink out and put us unavailable on dispatch board. Caused lots of radio confusion

No one has seen Weird Science? Pursuit in Shermer, IL by a LAPD cruiser with steady burn front and rear can lights.
 

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
Just be happy the pickers haven't picked up those beacons or lightbars in their show and asked about them. The day that happens, "I've Got Gold!" Syndrome floods eBay, Craigslist, and wherever else.
So far so good...upstate New York, guys bought a Mohawk sign next to an old Sireno siren, and on the shelf below, missed an amber maybe Whelen 4 bulb rotator and an amber teardrop light.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CrownVic97

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
Not sure if this one's already been posted. It's not really TV, but you would watch it on a TV. Does that count?

 

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
Saints and Soldiers: The Void. M18 Hellcat tank destroyers have a small Federal siren mounted under a steel guard.

DHEDUQL.jpg


I don't see the tactical uses of a siren. Maybe to inform zee Germans that a 76mm round was inbound to their position and that they'd better kiss their Jerry cans goodbye. Them and the other Axis troops. Very effective as a tank destroyer and in an indirect fire role too.
 

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
I don't see the tactical uses of a siren. Maybe to inform zee Germans that a 76mm round was inbound to their position and that they'd better kiss their Jerry cans goodbye. Them and the other Axis troops. Very effective as a tank destroyer and in an indirect fire role too.
The M18 had a 12 cylinder radial aircraft engine, very noisy. I checked a couple military vehicle websites, and the consensus was the high noise levels, and a small "meep meep" horn just didn't cut it.
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
A great sampling of lights from the late 60's to the early 70's. Model 17's, 14, 173, 175's and Juniors, all included in an EMS history. Motorola systems and all kinds of equipment. To many to post times, they appear all throughout.



I like the sound of the electronic siren. It's a Federal PA15A series 1D.
 

Phillyrube

Member
May 21, 2010
1,272
Flatistan
My Cousin Vinny.....looks like a bunch of Federal Powerlights, some with the high speed rotator (rubber hose on the drive pulley).

Buses have some sort of amber 2 bulb rotators.
 

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
My Cousin Vinny.....looks like a bunch of Federal Powerlights, some with the high speed rotator (rubber hose on the drive pulley).

Buses have some sort of amber 2 bulb rotators.

Police cars all had the Dietz 7-40 or Signal Stat 240 beacon ;)
MCV Patrol Car.jpg

The prison bus had a Signal Stat beacon with the plastic black base and motor-on-rotator assembly system.
MCV Bus.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Phillyrube

Skulldigger

Member
Aug 23, 2015
1,739
Georgia / USA
the wife is watching a 1977 movie called Snow Beast. Called me in to identify a light. From the long shot I thought it was a Rotabeam at first, but it's a regular full size beacon. I am thinking it's a Mars RB3 from the tag.

Snow Beast 1.JPG Snow Beast 2.JPG

You can see it starting at: 24:15, then the close up and operation at 25:01.

 
  • Like
Reactions: CrownVic97

JazzDad

Member
Aug 5, 2011
5,165
USA
My wife does that to me too.
 

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
the wife is watching a 1977 movie called Snow Beast. Called me in to identify a light. From the long shot I thought it was a Rotabeam at first, but it's a regular full size beacon. I am thinking it's a Mars RB3 from the tag.

View attachment 213681 View attachment 213682

You can see it starting at: 24:15, then the close up and operation at 25:01.


Nice ol' GM products there! Oh, and the lights and sirens are good too, lol!
 

Wailer

Member
May 24, 2010
2,290
Canada
the wife is watching a 1977 movie called Snow Beast. Called me in to identify a light. From the long shot I thought it was a Rotabeam at first, but it's a regular full size beacon. I am thinking it's a Mars RB3 from the tag.

View attachment 213681 View attachment 213682

You can see it starting at: 24:15, then the close up and operation at 25:01.

The siren sound is a Federal PA20 (c. mid 1960s).
 

JazzDad

Member
Aug 5, 2011
5,165
USA
From "Who Framed Roger Rabbit".

Roger.jpg
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
people wonder why medicine cost so high.. how much did that fake commercial cost to make?
 
  • Like
Reactions: JazzDad

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
Not sure if it's been posted, but I think any one of us would have loved to hang out at Tech Noir from The Terminator if it wasn't for cyborgs and time-traveling commandos having the occasional shootout.

It's like that place was built out of Aero 24s and some 22Hs!! Think that I also spotted a Twin and maybe an XL9000 close to the ceilings. Not sure. I've played and paused the scene a few times over now. Man, I'd have loved to been at that place's clearance sale once it went bust. It'd presumably have went bust after said shootouts.

 

CHIEFOPS

Member
Jan 24, 2011
1,532
NYC
The giveaways are the van's interior color, lightbar dome color configuration, length and strap mount, and the RMP is a Dodge not a Plymouth (there were a very small number of 87 or 88 Dodges assigned only to HWY), incorrect RMP ID number series & lack of passenger side mirror. It's lightbar also looks like it's strap mounted with some fugazy underside frame. No bumper guards either.
 

LRGJr72

Member
May 29, 2010
790
Detroit, Michigan
Not sure if it's been posted, but I think any one of us would have loved to hang out at Tech Noir from The Terminator if it wasn't for cyborgs and time-traveling commandos having the occasional shootout.

It's like that place was built out of Aero 24s and some 22Hs!! Think that I also spotted a Twin and maybe an XL9000 close to the ceilings. Not sure. I've played and paused the scene a few times over now. Man, I'd have loved to been at that place's clearance sale once it went bust. It'd presumably have went bust after said shootouts.


Pretty sure that I saw a purple Federal Signal Titan beacon. Also a red/blue VisiBar/Model 11. I was 12 when this movie came out. This scene had me transfixed.. on the damn lights.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WhelenNDealin

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
From Top Cops. One of my favourite shows as a kid. My father and I would tune in to watch it. Always loved how the bad guys never got away.

With a lit LP6000 right out of the gate, you know that some good mid-late 80s vintage lighting is in store.


"When we do get trouble, it's usually imported." I suppose imported from Colombia through Miami in those days. Seems like trouble's being imported from more and more places these days.

If only it came imported in a big red crate marked "TROUBLE!!" with a skull and crossbones on it. It'd make things so much easier for LE and emergency services...

Notice how the other inmates cheer, one even shouts "woohoo!" Uninentionally hilarious moment.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CrownVic97

WhelenNDealin

Member
Aug 6, 2017
575
Ontario, Canada
Another from Top Cops. Visibars this time!


Holy crap, looking back on this show now and having a bigger appreciation for classic lighting and sirens, I love it just that much more. Cheesy dialogue and stock sound effects galore, but also great lighting galore. That, and the valour of real police officers during extremely dangerous situations is given the respect that it so rightly deserves. Need more shows like this nowadays, also showing the valour of real EMS and FF in similarly extreme situations. Social Justice Warriors and special snowflakes of all sorts would probably get upset that a police officer shot a violent criminal trying to kill innocent people or that a firefighter broke down someone's door rescuing them from a blaze or that a paramedic gave someone an injection to save a life or pretty much anything where the good guys are portrayed in a positive way. They'd also be upset hearing if a firefighter didn't save someone's iPhone from a fire. I can hear them right now: "How will now they take selfies in the ER giving a thumbs-up and tell their followers how severe their injuries were (scrapes, two small first degree burns on their texting thumbs) and how much pain they overcame (thanks to them crying until finally being given morphine and rx'ed Percocet)?! How will they know how brave they were for letting their reproduction retro t-shirts get destroyed?! Those firefighters are iPhone-ists and were oppressive by not jumping across a collapsed floor to get it! Isn't that what they get paid to do? Why didn't they do it?! This is an injustice!" Meanwhile, the firefighter that rescued them did so with a dislocated shoulder, a busted arm and a half-dozen other injuries and didn't say a word about injuries. Ditto for the injured paramedics that had to put up with the special snowflake's tantrums and wanting mommy, daddy, juice boxes, animal crackers and a new everything, but who took too long getting to the ER in five minutes. Same for the two cops hospitalized with burns and smoke inhalation from rescuing their roommate and their cat, but not their iPhone(s) or the cat's artisan organic gluten-free non-GMO non-vegan vegan fair trade matcha soy latte flavoured cat food for cats who identify as transfeline. OH, THE OPPRESSION!
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: CrownVic97

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
Not sure if it's been posted, but I think any one of us would have loved to hang out at Tech Noir from The Terminator if it wasn't for cyborgs and time-traveling commandos having the occasional shootout.

It's like that place was built out of Aero 24s and some 22Hs!! Think that I also spotted a Twin and maybe an XL9000 close to the ceilings. Not sure. I've played and paused the scene a few times over now. Man, I'd have loved to been at that place's clearance sale once it went bust. It'd presumably have went bust after said shootouts.


Paused at all scenes for better analysis. All lights are Federal Signal products ;)

3:13 - (Above Reese's head) Purple 371L Commander beacon, clear/red Model 184 beacons mounted to a Visibar with CP25 speaker, and a blue/blue Model 24EH AeroDynic with rear amber flashers

3:17 - Blue 24EH AeroDynic to the left on the wall and a blue/blue Model 24EAH AeroDynic with amber rear flashers on the back wall behind Arnold's head.

3:31 - Pause just right to see the clear/red 184 Visibar

3:40 - Model 24CA AeroDynic, all blue, mounted to the side of the counter

3:42 - Blue 24CA Aero and a blue/blue 24EAH AeroDynic mounted farther down counter

3:55 - Federal Signal EVERYWHERE!

4:09 - Different view of the all blue 24CA Aero

4:15 - Red/blue Model 24CA AeroDynic with R/R/R/R, B/B/B/B to the front, A/R/R/R, B/B/B/A to the rear

4:21 - Red/Blue Model 11 Twin Beacon Ray with CP25 speaker
 
  • Like
Reactions: WhelenNDealin

CrownVic97

Member
May 21, 2010
3,350
Hazen, ND
How about this? Vintage Furys, Monacos and AeroDynics all over!

 

Forum Statistics

Threads
53,963
Messages
449,806
Members
19,102
Latest member
Hilux01

About Us

  • Since 1997, eLightbars has been the premier venue for all things emergency warning equipment. Discussions, classified listings, pictures, videos, chat, & more! Our staff members strive to keep the forums organized and clutter-free. All of our offerings are free-of-charge with all costs offset by banner advertising. Premium offerings are available to improve your experience.

User Menu

Secure Browsing & Transactions

eLightbars.org uses SSL to secure all traffic between our server and your browsing device. All browsing and transactions within are secured by an SSL Certificate with high-strength encryption.