Official Location based warning law discussion thread

May 9, 2012
1,153
Central Florida
fier23 said:
It's pretty clear as it states you can run lights and omits you from the siren list. People often write their own laws in their heads when it doesn't state that you cannot. If your name is not on the CAN list then you cannot. We have this problem in MO. It CLEARLY states volunteer FF are blue light ONLY as it states on the official blue light card. But because we are not on the CANNOT list , they freelance the law. Wrong wrong wrong.

Thanks for clearing that up. I'll remain siren-less lol :thumbsup: :bonk:
 

littlebluepig

New Member
Apr 15, 2012
9
USA Arkansas
27-36-303. Police vehicles.


All state, county, or city and municipal police agencies shall install, maintain, and exhibit blue rotating or flashing emergency lights upon all police motor vehicles which are equipped with emergency lighting and operated within the State of Arkansas.


27-36-304. Fire department vehicles and ambulances.


(a) All state, county, city, and municipal or privately owned fire departments, funeral homes, or ambulance companies shall install, maintain, and exhibit red rotating or flashing emergency lights upon all fire department vehicles, automobiles used by firefighters, and ambulances which are equipped with emergency lighting and operated within Arkansas. Firefighters shall be allowed to use portable dash-mounted red rotating or flashing emergency lights on their privately owned automobiles when responding to a fire or other emergency.


( B) Emergency medical services personnel licensed by the Department of Health may install, maintain, and exhibit red rotating or flashing emergency lights upon a vehicle when responding to an emergency.


27-36-305. Other emergency vehicles.


(a) All state, county, and municipal agencies and private persons and businesses that operate any other type of vehicle in this state that is required or permitted to be equipped with flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights shall equip the vehicles with white or amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights only.


( B) (1) In addition to amber flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights, wreckers or tow vehicles permitted or licensed under 27-50-1203 that respond to traffic incidents may, but are not required to, be equipped with red flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights in addition to amber warning lights.


(2) Red flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights on a wrecker or tow vehicle shall be operated only at times the wrecker or tow vehicle is stopped on or within ten feet (10') of a public way and engaged in recovery or loading and hooking up an abandoned, an unattended, a disabled, or a wrecked vehicle. A wrecker or tow vehicle shall not operate forward-facing red flashing or rotating emergency or warning lights while underway, except as may be expressly authorized by law otherwise.


27-36-306. Other nonemergency vehicles -- Funeral processions.


(a) Motor vehicles engaged in leading or escorting a funeral procession or any vehicle that is part of a funeral procession may be equipped with flashing, rotating, or oscillating purple lights, which shall not be activated except during a funeral procession.


( B) The purple flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights shall be a warning to other motorists of the approach of the funeral procession.
 

firefighter1

New Member
Feb 10, 2012
12
Colorado
In short, Volunteer firefighter POV's with permit from fire chief and registered as an emergency vehicle with the Department of Revenue may use Red, white, or combination of Red and White. At least one of which shall be mounted on the top of the vehicle and be visible to the front and back at a distance of no less than 500' in normal daylight.


All other POV's needed for the preservation of human life may run Red, or combination of Red and Blue. (as I recall)


White and Amber are unregulated.


Green shall only be used as on a stationary vehicle being used as the incident command post.


Purple as I know is unregulated.


All vehicles displaying Red or Red/Blue shall have the right of way and may disregard speed limits, stop signals, directions for the flow of traffic, and stop/stand where ever the hell you need. Just so long as you drive with due regard for the lives and safety of other motorists and idiots on the road.


All department owned vehicles, ambulances or other non POV's may use whatever colors they want so long as they have at least one Red light.


Police vehicles are not required to have a Red light source.
 

dcfrmp255

Member
Nov 26, 2010
810
South Georgia
This is something that has been bothering me for some time now and I might get flamed for expressing my opinion, but I would really appreciate it if some light shed on this topic. Up north, why is it that, for example: "Only the top five officers in the department are allowed to run red lights and a siren" while the other "average Joe" volunteer's are only allowed a blue light and cannot run a siren? Is this so that the public can easily identify a "high ranking officer" when he comes up behind them while responding to a call? Is it so that the "high ranking officer" can get to the scene quicker than the "average Joe" volunteer? I think that it is a serious safety issue... The way I look at it is, we're all out to do the same thing.....and that is "to save lives and property". Why should the "average Joe" have to compromise his safety just because he is not "a high ranking officer"? Down here in Georgia, if your a volunteer, no matter what your rank, you have the option to run red lights (unless your local govt doesn't allow you to run red lights, like mine...) Please comment, I really don't want this thread to end up in the ring, so let's try not to get out of control. As the title says, "maybe I'm missing something...". :) :confused:


I'm not trying to disrespect any chiefs or high ranking officers.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
They're Northerners... they just think differently than we do I guess. ;)
 

Flashguy

Member
Jan 4, 2011
842
United States, Florida
I think any "authorized emergency" apparatus/POV should be allowed to run red and blue. It's been proven that red is better seen in daytime and blue at night. Why not just leave it up to the departments which color combo they want to run?
 

Squad-6

Member
May 21, 2010
1,322
N. GA
Well with alot of things they do differently than us here in Dixie I think it just something they have always done out of tradition regardless of necessity or safety.
 

PC Comms

Member
May 30, 2010
1,881
Beautiful southern Georgia!
Flashguy said:
I think any "authorized emergency" apparatus/POV should be allowed to run red and blue. It's been proven that red is better seen in daytime and blue at night. Why not just leave it up to the departments which color combo they want to run?

The difference is that up here, (in PA, for example) red/blue in combination is for police only. Red or red/clear is for fire officers (Chief, 1st & 2nd assistant chiefs, fire police captain and lieutenant, dive master, rescue captain and med 1 & 2 officers). Red lights gives them the ability to run sirens and traffic must pull over and let them proceed by. It does not, however, allow them to speed, etc. A blue light however, is a courtesy light. It does not give the user any special privileges nor does anybody have to yield or pull over for them. Each state has their own rules and most of them are so ass backwards that it isn't funny. New Jersey for example, made it a law that you must pull over to let a blue light pass you, yet "blue lighters" are NOT allowed to have a siren in their vehicle. Go figure. To each their own.
 

paro22

Member
Jul 12, 2010
45
USA NY
Not that I'm justifying it, but:


one possible reasoning is that in most of these locales (though of course not all) the major differentiation between 'red lighters' and 'blue lighters' is who responds directly to the scene, irrespective of rank. Chiefs etc will generally respond directly to the call, while most other volunteers head first to the station to pick up the rig/ambulance.


In most cases, they don't carry any equipment in their cars (not even turnout gear or EMS gear) and respond just short distances to their nearby station. L&S vehicles are appropriately equipped with full turnout gear/SCBA, Fire Extinguishers, flashlights, command items, and/or full EMS gear - and respond directly to the scene, either across town or across the County for Mutual Aid.


While the actual urgency/Emergency Call is the same, and the qualifications may be similar, 'blue-lighters' are not considered true Emergency Vehicles, nor are they expected to function as such if they come upon a scene - while vehicles with L&S are. Many departments have "fly-cars" that non-Chiefs can take out and run L&S - that go straight to the incident.


(5 fully trained FF's heading to the station for a structure fire = no L&S. Those same 5 once they get aboard the Engine = L&S! Go figure...)
 

dcfrmp255

Member
Nov 26, 2010
810
South Georgia
SlickTop Solutions said:
In Ohio, volunteers can respond with L&S to the location regardless of rank.

In MD it's only the Chief, 1st and 2nd Assistant Chiefs and the Medical Officer, and fire police. No lights for any other volunteer, period.

Retarded as hell. I would run red lights and a siren but our county govt deems red lights as an "insurance liability". As it is, I only have a HLF, clear Vertex's in front and two amber Python T-4's in the rear.
 
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Station 3

Member
May 21, 2010
3,395
Edinburg Texas
Just Move to Texas you can do what ever the hell you want down here.
 

7d9_z28

New Member
Mar 15, 2012
3,048
West Michigan
Here in MI (at least at the vollie dept in my town) all FF and officers can run Red and siren. no blue.
 

rick h.

Member
May 21, 2010
1,377
Green Bank WV.
WV. has red or red/white for Fire and Ems, code states if light is used the Vehicle has to be equiped with a audible device . Some areas will not let responders use either and those folks usually use 4 way flashers . As most people will still pull over if they see you coming with the 4 ways flashing. Blue is restricted to Law Enforcement only
 

Jarred J.

Lifetime VIP Donor
May 21, 2010
11,580
Shelbyville, TN
Squad-6 said:
Well with alot of things they do differently than us here in Dixie I think it just something they have always done out of tradition regardless of necessity or safety.




what it is is what it was.
 

Doug

Member
May 23, 2010
1,151
Maryland
SlickTop Solutions said:
In MD it's only the Chief, 1st and 2nd Assistant Chiefs and the Medical Officer, and fire police. No lights for any other volunteer, period.

On top of that, those lights are only courtesy lights (much like in NY), and, to my knowledge, hold no teeth for enforcement of disregarding those lights.
 

bwoodruff

Member
Aug 8, 2011
499
Upstate NY
In NY Chiefs (Chief, Asst. Chiefs, Deputy Chiefs, etc), any DOH vehicle (which could be anything from the Director of Ops down to an EMT- B) , and County Fire Coordinators (Coordinator and Deputy Coordinators) can have "authorized emergency vehicle" status which gives them nearly the same rights as a LEO. The only difference that I am aware of is LEOs are still counted as EVs without their siren on (lights only) whereas all other EVs have to run a siren (or other audible warning) to be considered an EV. They can run RL&S, speed, run stop signs and traffic lights as long as they exercise due regard (read: DON'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT OR YOU ARE SCREWED).


Volunteer firefighters can be issued the privilege (from their Chief) of running blue (only) lights to fire emergencies. These lights grant no special privileges and do not grant the volunteer EV status. They do not grant the right of way.


Volunteer EMS folks who have not been authorized as DOH vehicles (the only ones I've really seen authorize their volunteers is Hatzolah and that really only exists downstate as far as I'm aware) can be given the privilege of running green (only) lights to EMS calls. Same deal as with volunteer firefighters.


Why the different colors for fire and EMS? Well, one reason is so when someone from the public complains about "that asshole with the light on his truck" the Chief or D of O will know which agency is responsible for that asshole ("was it a blue light or a green light?"). Other than that, it seems extremely pointless and just causes more confusion with the public. Folks who are members of both and want to run lights have to buy both colors or something that will do both, independently. You cannot run both at the same time.


IMO an EV should be an EV. If there is an emergency and you are responding to that emergency, and it meets the criteria to run hot, you should be able to run hot if you are qualified to do so. Rank should not be a factor. We should do away with the courtesy light deal and authorize our FFs and EMTs as EV operators if they take the appropriate safety courses (i.e. EVOC - Emergency Vehicle Operators Course). Those same people who are running courtesy lights are going to hop out of their non-EV and into an EV.
 

jph2

Member
Apr 21, 2012
2,122
USA Michigan
7d9_z28 said:
Here in MI (at least at the vollie dept in my town) all FF and officers can run Red and siren. no blue.
This. Michigan restricts blue to law enforcement but makes no distinction between officers and regular Joes on volunteer fire or EMS departments. They can run lights and sirens with permission of their departments.


As I recall, when I was with Troy Fire, you got your light and siren after you completed Firefighter I and were certified on the apparatus. You could run lights and siren, but only in the city. Michigan allows all EVs, including vollies in POVs, to exceed the speed limit, ignore traffic lights and signs, and go the wrong way on one-way streets but you must exercise due care. Like bwoodruff said, don't have an accident.


Back in 80-82, I was on a volunteer ambulance service in IL. We had green courtesy lights; no siren. Volunteer FF had blue; I don't remember if they had sirens or not.
 
May 24, 2010
1,627
PG County, MD
dcfrmp255 said:
Retarted as hell. I would run red lights and a siren but our county govt deems red lights as an "insurance liability". As it is, I only have a HLF, clear Vertex's in front and two amber Python T-4's in the rear.

Volunteers in MD don't run calls to the scene. They man the equipment at the station, if you have a crew your station is in service, if not then it's not and not on the run roster. All departments in MD both paid and volunteer are dispatched by the county in which they reside. So MD Legislature sees no reason for anyone but the command staff to have lights and sirens. Also, there are very few volunteer stations that do NOT provide vehicles for the command staff so they don't have to purchase lights for their POVs.
 

Ipuvaepe

Member
Jun 25, 2011
884
Southeast Pennsylvania
There are huge differences in culture around the country, not to mention a difference in enforcement from town to town. Around here I can recall mid-2000s CVPIs with only HAWs, wide armored vans using 48" lightbars, more than a few unmarked department CVPIs that have plenty of red but do not have any kind of blue light (as required by PA law), and half the officers I know that are vollies just use an LED dash light. And then there is The Gem, a black late-model CVPI privately owned by a certain person who is a PD and FF captain (neither of which allow you to use red, let alone r/b) equipped with more r/b than the car's worth (and it's pretty new). Drive 30 minutes away, and people get cited for using dashlasers...
 

MESDA6

Member
Jun 2, 2010
920
Central IL and PHX
It doesn't matter what makes sense in any state. At the end of the day it comes down to politics between the various Fire / Police Associations, the DOT or Motor Vehicle Agency, and the State Legislature. Usually it just comes down to a peeing match anytime someone tries to get a change made. It has NOTHING to do with the actual needs to of the responder. ever.
 

mdlighting

Member
Jul 20, 2011
648
PG county,MD
It depends on your departments SOPs I remember going straight to scenes with my dad in the late 90's early 2000's he kept his gear in his truck but then the changed it so you could not respond to the scene in your pov unless the scene is in your direct path to the station or you come up on something while out an about. I've been on the scene of stuff plenty of times in my pov and nobody says anything. Most of the times the police are happy when a firefighter or Emt shows up so they don't have to worry about patient care and can focus on traffic control. I keep a dash light in the back of my vehicle for those oh crap moments. I used to have my car decked out with lights but took them out when I relized it wasn't the smartest thing to do. Oh and I never had a siren so I could not respond to anything nor did I activate them while moving.


This was in st. Mary's county in MD wear all fire and ems departments are volunteer
 

timlinson

New Member
Apr 11, 2011
513
North Dakota
ND to me seems screwed up. All the SOs in my area are in arguments about who gets what colors, some say it should be only blue, some say red/blue, etc...


DEFINITIONS:

"Authorized emergency vehicles":
a. "Class A" authorized emergency vehicles means:


(1) Vehicles of a governmentally owned fire department.


(2) Vehicles when operated by or under the control of a police officer having



authority to enforce the provisions of this title or by a salaried employee of a



municipal police department within the municipality or by a sheriff or deputy



sheriff not including special deputy sheriffs, or by the director of the



department of corrections and rehabilitation and the director's authorized



agents who have successfully completed training in the operation of class A



authorized emergency vehicles.



(3) Vehicles clearly identifiable as property of the department of corrections and



rehabilitation when operated or under the control of the director of the



department of corrections and rehabilitation.



(4) Ambulances.



(5) Vehicles operated by or under the control of the director, district deputy



director, or a district deputy game warden of the game and fish department.



(6) Vehicles owned or leased by the United States and used for law



enforcement purposes.



(7) Vehicles designated for the use of the adjutant general or assistant adjutant



general in cases of emergency.



(8) Vehicles operated by or under the control of the director of the parks and



recreation department.



(9) Vehicles operated by or under the control of a licensed railroad police officer



and used for law enforcement purposes.



(10) Vehicles operated by or under the control of the state forester.



(11) Vehicles operated by or under the control of the bureau of criminal



investigation and used for law enforcement purposes.



b. "Class B" authorized emergency vehicles means wreckers and such other


emergency vehicles as are authorized by the local authorities.






c. "Class C" authorized emergency vehicles means:


(1) Vehicles authorized by the state division of homeland security or local


division of emergency management organizations.



(2) Vehicles used by volunteer firefighters while performing their assigned



disaster and emergency responsibilities.



(3) Vehicles, other than ambulances, used by emergency medical services



personnel.

PROVISIONS:

39-10-03. Class A authorized emergency vehicles.


1. The driver of a class A authorized emergency vehicle may:


a. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter.


b. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as


may be necessary for safe operation.


c. Exceed the speed limit so long as the driver does not endanger life or property.


d. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified


directions.


2. The exceptions herein granted to a class A authorized emergency vehicle apply only:


a. When the authorized emergency vehicle is in pursuit of or apprehension of a


violator or a suspected violator requiring the use of these exemptions.


b. When the class A authorized emergency vehicle is being operated in response to


a reported emergency involving a possible personal injury, death, or damage to


property, and when giving adequate warning by use of a flashing red or


combination red and white lights that are visible under normal atmospheric


conditions for at least five hundred feet [152.4 meters] and if appropriate, giving


audible signal by siren or airhorn. A law enforcement vehicle that is otherwise a


class A authorized emergency vehicle may display a flashing blue light in addition


to and under the same conditions as the other colors allowed in this subdivision.


c. In any instance when the head of a law enforcement agency deems advisable


within the area of that person's jurisdiction for the protection of person and


property and when giving audible signal by siren or when giving adequate


warning by use of a flashing red or combination red and white lights which are


visible under normal atmospheric conditions for at least five hundred feet [152.4


meters]. A law enforcement vehicle that is otherwise a class A authorized


emergency vehicle may display a flashing blue light in addition to and under the


same conditions as the other colors allowed in this subdivision.


Page No. 13. An emergency vehicle may not display or permit to be displayed any red lamp except


when operated on official business.


4. Any law enforcement officer as provided in paragraph 2 of subdivision a of subsection


2 of section 39-01-01 having stopped another vehicle along a highway, and while still


involved in that incident, or any other related activity, may use amber lights, visible


under normal atmospheric conditions for at least five hundred feet [152.4 meters], for


the purpose of maintaining traffic flow.


39-10-03.1. Class B authorized emergency vehicles.


1. The driver of a class B authorized emergency vehicle may:


a. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this chapter.


b. Exceed the speed limit so long as the driver does not endanger life or property


during the time of a local or national disaster.


c. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified


directions.


2. The exceptions herein granted to a class B authorized emergency vehicle apply only


when the authorized emergency vehicle is displaying an amber light visible under


normal atmospheric conditions for a distance of five hundred feet [152.4 meters] in any


direction, and:


a. When it is necessary for the authorized emergency vehicle to use these


exemptions for the immediate protection of life or property;


b. When an authorized emergency vehicle is stopped on a highway for the purpose


of performing a duty as required of the driver; or


c. When traveling at a speed slower than the normal flow of traffic.


39-10-03.2. Class C authorized emergency vehicles.


All class B specifications apply to class C authorized emergency vehicles except that a blue


flashing light must be displayed in place of an amber light as provided in section 39-10-03.1.

39-21-18. Audible and visual signals on vehicle.
1. Every authorized emergency vehicle must, in addition to any other equipment and


distinctive markings required by this chapter, be equipped with a siren, exhaust


whistle, or bell capable of causing a minimum sound intensity level of eighty-five


decibels. The siren or signal must be mounted outside of the vehicle or in front of the


radiator.


2. Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with safety strobe lights.


3. A police vehicle when used as an authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with


alternately flashing red lights specified herein and a vehicle designated for the use of


the adjutant general or the assistant adjutant general may be equipped with a siren,


exhaust whistle, or bell specified herein.


4. Every schoolbus, except vehicles with a seating capacity of less than sixteen students,


must be equipped with:


a. Signal lamps mounted as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable,


which must be capable of displaying to the front two alternately flashing red lights


located at the same level and to the rear two alternately flashing red lights located


at the same level, and these lights must have sufficient intensity to be visible at


five hundred feet [152.4 meters] in normal sunlight;


b. A stop sign on a control arm that can be activated by the busdriver. The stop sign


on the control arm must be located on the left side of the bus, be equipped with a


flashing red light, and when activated, extend out from the bus at approximately a


ninety-degree angle; and


c. Safety strobe lights if the schoolbus was manufactured after July 31, 1998. Older


schoolbuses may have safety strobe lights installed.

From what I understand it to be, we can have blue lights (Class C), speed, disregard traffic direction (wrong way, etc..), but we cannot pass through stop signs/lights, or have sirens. From what I can also tell (Im no lawyer), as a classified emergency vehicle, others must pullover for us.

39-10-26. Vehicle to stop or yield the right of way for authorized emergency vehicle or
vehicle used for maintaining the state highway system - Penalty.



1. Upon the immediate approach of an authorized emergency vehicle displaying a visible


flashing, revolving, or rotating blue, white, or red light, the driver of every other vehicle


shall yield the right of way and shall immediately drive to a position parallel to, and as


close as possible to, the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway clear of any


intersection and shall stop and remain in that position until the authorized emergency


vehicle has passed, except when otherwise directed by a police officer.

39-21-36. Horn and warning device.
1. While being operated upon a highway, every motor vehicle must be equipped with a


horn in good working order and capable of emitting sound audible under normal


conditions from a distance of not less than two hundred feet [60.96 meters], but no


horn or other warning device may emit an unreasonably loud or harsh sound or a


whistle. Whenever reasonably necessary for safe operation, the driver of a motor


vehicle upon a highway shall give audible warning with the vehicle's horn, but may not


otherwise use the vehicle's horn while upon a highway.


2. No vehicle may be equipped with nor may any person use upon a vehicle any siren,


whistle, or bell, except as otherwise permitted in this section.


3. Any vehicle may be equipped with a theft alarm signal device which is so arranged


that it cannot be used by the driver as an ordinary warning signal.


4. Any authorized emergency vehicle may be equipped with a siren, whistle, or bell,


capable of emitting sound audible under normal conditions from a distance of not less


than five hundred feet [152.4 meters] and of a type approved by the department, but


the siren may not be used except when the vehicle is operated in response to an


emergency call or in the immediate pursuit of an actual or suspected violator of the


law, in which events the driver of the vehicle shall sound the siren when reasonably


necessary to warn pedestrians and other drivers of approaching vehicles.




INFO CURRENT AS OF 3/18/2013.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
May 24, 2010
1,627
PG County, MD
Doug said:
On top of that, those lights are only courtesy lights (much like in NY), and, to my knowledge, hold no teeth for enforcement of disregarding those lights.

Per MD code, they are to be regarded as any other fire vehicle, and not courtesy lights (tho you would think they were with the way people drive around here).
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
The chiefs have to hurry up and get there so they can point at things and be in charge. The fireman only have to get there to put the fire out.
 

chief1562

Member
Mar 18, 2011
5,840
Slaterville/NY
WS224 said:
The chiefs have to hurry up and get there so they can point at things and be in charge. The fireman only have to get there to put the fire out.

Not necessaraly true.


The incident command strucure is setup that any fireman can be the incident commander and does not have to give up said command when a line officer arrives as long as the firefighter in command is doing a good job or turns command over it to a line officer after filling him/her on what is being done on the scene.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
dcfrmp255 said:
Retarted as hell. I would run red lights and a siren but our county govt deems red lights as an "insurance liability". As it is, I only have a HLF, clear Vertex's in front and two amber Python T-4's in the rear.

It's funny to me that you spelled retarded wrong = irony.
 

WS224

Member
Nov 28, 2010
1,049
West Tennessee
chief1565 said:
Not necessaraly true.
The incident command strucure is setup that any fireman can be the incident commander and does not have to give up said command when a line officer arrives as long as the firefighter in command is doing a good job or turns command over it to a line officer after filling him/her on what is being done on the scene.
Yeah, I know how it is set up to work. I also know how it works.
 

Lazzati

Member
May 22, 2010
140
Salem County NJ
In jersey the higher line officers can run red, red/blue or blue on their pov with sirens but the volunteer can only run blue. Many volunteers have added white and amber which usually is ok as long you don't pull up on scene with an officer who is having a bad day. At no point can the volunteers use sirens but once again air horns and mechanical air horns are not really looked upon. There are a few loopholes we have found up here.
 

foxtrot5

New Member
Sep 26, 2011
3,002
Charleston Area, SC, US
Lazzati said:
In jersey the higher line officers can run red, red/blue or blue on their pov with sirens but the volunteer can only run blue. Many volunteers have added white and amber which usually is ok as long you don't pull up on scene with an officer who is having a bad day. At no point can the volunteers use sirens but once again air horns and mechanical air horns are not really looked upon. There are a few loopholes we have found up here.

Not sure where you're getting your information from. Last time I checked, NJ law requires any vehicle using a siren to display red/blue or red lighting. Also, by the letter of the law volunteers may not run white and/or amber, but as you said it's usually OK. Airhorns and mechanical air horns (I'm guessing you mean electronic) were proposed to NJ in a bill back in '04 or something but it never passed. Sadly if you search NJ Blue Light Law, one of the top results is the proposed bill so many people think it's the real thing... It's not. You havn't found any loopholes, you've found police officers who are reasonable and understand that the NJ Blue Light Law is antiquated and stupid.
 

theroofable

Member
May 23, 2010
1,379
New Jersey
foxtrot5 said:
Not sure where you're getting your information from. Last time I checked, NJ law requires any vehicle using a siren to display red/blue or red lighting. Also, by the letter of the law volunteers may not run white and/or amber, but as you said it's usually OK. Airhorns and mechanical air horns (I'm guessing you mean electronic) were proposed to NJ in a bill back in '04 or something but it never passed. Sadly if you search NJ Blue Light Law, one of the top results is the proposed bill so many people think it's the real thing... It's not. You havn't found any loopholes, you've found police officers who are reasonable and understand that the NJ Blue Light Law is antiquated and stupid.

The only colors addressed are red blue and amber. It is pretty common for povs to have hide away kits, and blue/ white setups. I agree with you, the officers are either understanding or ignorant to the law, or probably a combination of both. We deal with the state police here, and they are always happy to see us responding to calls. Never had a problem around here, or anywhere else about an officer complaining about lights. I'm pretty sure it is like this throughout New Jersey, it is in the 2 counties surrounding mine. There was a trooper not too long ago that was surprised that someone actually had a permit for their lights, and wanted to see it because he had never actually saw one before. Not saying any of this is right or wrong, just what it is.

Phoenix_Rising said:
how'd this turn into another state warning light thread?
I think it started that way by addressing how some states only let chiefs run red lights and sirens. Which is specific to many north eastern states.
 

MississippiPI

Member
Oct 3, 2010
49
USA/Mississippi
I am a volunteer FF from Mississippi. I have a black charger with dark tint; I have two led's in the rear window, two leds in the grill--these are both clear until you cut 'em on; I have wig wags in the headlights and on the dash I have a red sho me lite; as well as clear strobes in the reverse lites. I have never had a problem with them except the one time the NJ trooper asked me to remove my dash lite, police there have red and he was concerned for my safety--I did as he asked. There have been times when I have stopped at the scene and activiated my emergency lites; when LEO's show up they take my info in the event they need something and say thank you--never had a problem....


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