Official Location based warning law discussion thread

May 22, 2010
787
Columbiana County, Ohio
Is there a thread already started on this ?

I'm looking for information on what volunteer firefighters can run on there POV's for the following states

PA, TN, NC & SC
 
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gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
I was going to start a thread for official lights and sirens usage by state.....


but I never got around to it
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
PA - Blue lights only - only chiefs and officers use red + sirens (as with almost every state)


NC - state law forbids fitting POV's with sirens, but lights (except for wig-wags) are allowed. POV response with lights is allowed, but the responder must strictly adhere to state and local traffic laws. Also, each individual department sets it's own individual regulations regarding POV response.


TN - You either run red lights and sirens at the same time, or you don't run either of them(The Vanessa K Free act)
 
May 22, 2010
787
Columbiana County, Ohio
Arkansas:


Police- Blue


Fire-Red/Clear


EMS-Red/Clear


Towing-Amber


Volunteer Firefighters- Red/Clear with siren no permit or inspection needed


State law says 360 degree coverage required but not fully enforced.


Ohio:


Police- Red/Blue


Fire-Red/Clear


EMS-Red/Clear


Towing-Amber


Volunteer Firefighters- Red/Clear with siren with inspection and window sticker (at least in my county)
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
Ma - Blue is PD only, Red for FIRE and EMS


POV's - red lights (sirens depending on chief) with permit from RMV


Texas - Whatever the hell you want
 

Fast LT1

Member
May 24, 2010
2,018
Sedgwick County, KS
Kansas- any colors you want but there must be at least one red, blinking, flashing, or wig waging lamp. Also if lights are on while the vehicle is moving, the siren must also be activated.
 

localhero800

Member
May 22, 2010
1,333
Southeast Missouri
Missouri-


Fire- Pov-- Blue with siren( must use siren with light)


Trucks--- red and blue.


Law Enforcement- Red and or Red/Blue


General Warning-- Amber


Tow trucks CAN use red/blue when blocking traffic at an MVA. but most dont even use their amber bars.


Green-- Command.
 
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kitn1mcc

Member
May 24, 2010
2,566
Old lyme ct
CT you must have a Permit (amber is hardly enforced)But you only need the Permit for while the vehicle is in Motion on Public streets. this goes for all Colors


Red and Blue Police


Red White Fire/EMS (alot of depts use Blue)


Blue Vol FF no Siren


Amber everyone else


Green Vol EMS no siren


Purple undertaker


PJ did a nice write up a while back even with info from states when you travel thru
 
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badge22

Member
Aug 14, 2010
934
MI, United States
Michigan (Abridged)


Red / Blue / White (No Amber, used anyway)


Police Only


Red/White (No Amber, used anyway)


Fire / EMS / POV of Firefighter, EMT, Owner of Ambulance Co., Doctor


Purple


Funeral


Amber


Mail, Towing ( also Red ), Military, POV of Police Officer, Security, DOT, Trash, Snow Removal, Utility, HazMat Response


Green


Prohibited according to law, but used as mobile command anyway.


Sirens are required on all emergency vehicles (POV also, with the exception of those only permitted amber) while responding to emergency calls.


There are some other minor conditions not included herein.
 
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whatevah

Member
May 26, 2010
388
Delaware, USA
Delaware


Police - Red/Blue


Fire company-owned - Red/Blue (trucks, ambulances, support vehicles. mostly red, some vehicles are still only red)


Fire chiefs & fire police POVs - Blue/white to the front, red also allowed to sides/rear wig-wags only allowed if installed by vehicle manufacturer NO sirens


red appears to be legal for the rear for other vehicles, too. DOT vehicles have lightbars with amber to the front and red to the rear, but I haven't looked for the authorization in the vehicle code.


amber seems to be free for everyone
 
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signal12

Member
May 22, 2010
212
long island new york
red and white with rear facing blue-pd


red and white with blue front and rear fd


blue only vol ff


green only vol ems


amber is construction, utilities etc


paid emd red and white


lights on-siren on while moving


vol pov cannot have flashing headlights but can manually flash them


most vol pov are using blue and white and whatever to the rear no sirens


BASICALLY! this is the trend for the most part
 
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May 21, 2010
1,176
NJ & IA
New Jersey -


Red - fire chiefs/ems captains, police


blue - volunteer fire/ems members, police


white - whoever and their parents


amber - whoever and their parents


green - command


siren - police, fire/ems head officers only


Volunteers are only to use blue, drivers are required to yield however the firefighter/emt must obey all traffic laws. Light colors are enforced. Only department owned vehicles can get away with deviating from the laws
 

DLuccia

Member
May 21, 2010
675
Greater Waterbury CT
State of Connecticut


Emergency Vehicles


CEO Ambulance Co./Assistant to CEO Ambulance Co.Color Eligibility - Red/Siren or White Headlamp/Amber


Permits issued for CEO and 2 assistants.


Director of Emergency Management Color Eligibility - Red/Siren or White Headlamp/Amber No Assistants or Deputies


Fire Chiefs/Assistant Fire Chiefs Color Eligibility - Red/Siren or White/Siren or Red/White/Siren Restrictions - Up to five permits per Fire Department (Chief and four Assistants).


Fire Marshal Color Eligibility - Red/Siren or White Headlamp/Amber Restrictions - No assistants or deputies.


Fire Police Color Eligibility - Red Light (no siren) Restrictions - Permit for stationary use only


First Responder/Paramedic Vehicles Color Eligibility - Red/Siren or Red/White/Siren


Member of Volunteer Fire Company Color Eligibility - Blue or White Headlamps Restrictions - No Siren


Member of Volunteer Ambulance Company Color Eligibility - Green or White Headlamps Restrictions - No Siren


All Other Maintenance Vehicles


Includes: Cable, Construction, Oil/Gas Delivery, Road Service, Rural Mail Carrier, Security, Utility, Wrecker and other vehicles Amber only


Exempt from CT lighting Permit


Ambulances (with original lighting equipment only)


Town police vehicles


State police vehicles


Fire apparatus


Town vehicles with municipal plates


State vehicles with state plates


Department of Transportation trucks with state plates


Wreckers with wrecker plates Amber colors


Escort vehicles with out-of-state registration and DOT permits


Vehicles using their lights exclusively on private property


I cant find any laws on the books for the use of Purple
 

RL1

Member
May 20, 2010
1,649
Ga
There is a site with all this info, but I don't remember it and don't feel like looking it up.


Anyway, Georgia:


Police: All blue or red/blue


Fire/ EMS: Red, with a very few running a single blue light to the front on engines (mostly 'public safety depts')


Volly's: Red, permit required, issued by DOT I believe, and depts have to sign off on them


All of the above can also use amber, clear, wigwags, etc, and siren is supposed to be on while moving. Also, must have 360 deg warning.


Green is used by IC and wreckers can run amber/ clear when on scene and towing. Some funeral homes are starting to run purple.
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
RL1 said:
There is a site with all this info, but I don't remember it and don't feel like looking it up.

Ha, we don't feel like looking it up either! This way, real people who are vollys can state what they're allowed to do.
 
That site (policeposers.com) shut down 1/1/11.


Indiana (from what I have gathered)


- Blue : volunteer fire (no siren)


- Red : fire apparatus / EMS trucks


- Amber : DOT / Towing / Snow Plows (private owned) / Mail Vehicles


- Red/Blue : Law Enforcement


- Green : volunteer EMS (EMT/Paramedic) (no siren)
 

lagunagrande

Member
Jan 23, 2011
223
Texas
In Texas it is basically anything you want. Just don't look like a dang fool :suicide: . And also, in most places if you run blue and red you must have a siren. I hope these laws never change! Anyone pipe in :thumbsup:
 

hitman38367

Member
May 23, 2010
881
West Tennessee, USA
TN - vollie fire - red, white, amber. all clear/white are supposed be turned off at scene, but most folks don't around here. wigwags are only supposed to be legit to use if your department signs off on it saying you are a vollie, but most of the time it's a non-issue unless a LEO just has his/her panties in a bunch for some reason. Siren is supposed to be used at all times when lights are used in response to a call. Audible and Visual warning are required when responding, no matter what the call. That's all I can think of right off the top of my head.
 

JraCrir

Member
May 27, 2010
17
NH
NH


Blue- police


red- fire/ems, written permission from director/chief/state required, not really enforced where I am.


purple- funeral


green- command


amber- warning (everyone else)


white- basically anyone with another color


siren- police/fire/ems, technically only required when running red lights at intersections and going up one way streets
 

RES1CUE

Member
May 24, 2010
189
Spencer NC
gman021 said:
PA - Blue lights only - only chiefs and officers use red + sirens (as with almost every state)

NC - state law forbids fitting POV's with sirens, but lights (except for wig-wags) are allowed. POV response with lights is allowed, but the responder must strictly adhere to state and local traffic laws. Also, each individual department sets it's own individual regulations regarding POV response.


TN - You either run red lights and sirens at the same time, or you don't run either of them(The Vanessa K Free act)

to add to:


NC: Chief and Asst Chief Officers can utilize wig wags and siren with no permit/inspection/whatever.. Red.Clear.Amber or any combination off for Fire and/or EMS. Blue.Clear.Amber and any combo of for LEO.
 

nerdly_dood

Member
Jun 15, 2010
2,312
Georgia
Virginia:


Colored flashing lights are permitted as follows:


Blue, Red/blue, Blue/White, Red/White/Blue: Law enforcement


Red, Red/White: Fire/EMS and a select few other public safety vehicles


Fire and EMS POVs and police chaplains' cars may use a maximum of two red or red and white flashing or steady-burning warning lights. (Note that these are the only vehicles that can use steady-burning warning lights.)


Amber: Towing, road construction, hazmat cleanup, trash collection, snowplows, ATM repair, hi-rail vehicles (trucks with an extra set of metal wheels to drive on train tracks), fire/EMS (must be visible to rear), rent-a-cops, mail delivery, petroleum transport (only activated when in reverse gear), "Vehicles used by law-enforcement agency personnel in the enforcement of laws governing motor vehicle parking", "Government-owned law-enforcement vehicles, provided the lights are used for the purpose of giving directional warning to vehicular traffic to move one direction or another and are not lit while the vehicle is in motion", hot air balloon chase vehicles, farming vehicles, other construction, bike race escorts, TV vans, "municipal safety officers", raceway pace cars, security and firefighting, neighborhood watch, "Vehicles that are not tow trucks as defined in § 46.2-100, but are owned or controlled by a towing and recovery business, provided that the amber lights are lit only when the vehicle is being used at a towing and recovery site".


Purple or amber but not both: Funeral escort


Green: Emergency command center


Dealers or businesses selling emergency vehicles can put blinkies on them.


Colored warning lights are required as follows:


Amber flashing lights visible from at least 500 feet away must be used on trucks hauling oversize loads, unless accompanied by escort vehicles.
 
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aw413

New Member
Jan 27, 2011
12
Minnesota
MN


All licensed emergency vehicles, ie Police, fire, amublance are allowed Red White and Blue, Blue has to be to the passenger side of the vehicle.


Volunteers are allowed one steady burning red light to the front no larger that 4 in in diameter. Permit required from Commissioner of Public Safety.


Amber and red for tow trucks.


DOT Amber and Blue.


Anyone can have amber and white.


Strict enforcement of these laws.
 

theroofable

Member
May 23, 2010
1,379
New Jersey
kinnelonfire75 said:
New Jersey -
Volunteers are only to use blue, drivers are required to yield however the firefighter/emt must obey all traffic laws. Light colors are enforced. Only department owned vehicles can get away with deviating from the laws
Everything you have said is hardly enforced if at all in my area. NJ is very weird where some areas are strict and others are not.
 

tcfd126

New Member
Jul 7, 2010
186
Charlotte, NC
SOUTH CAROLINA -


Any fire/ems vehicle or pov must display red light or lights visable 360 degrees and a siren audible up to 500ft away...


any combination of red, white, amber but red must be visable 360 degrees


wig wags and strobes are allowed and everyone must have a siren if you have lights, however they are very lax


about the siren and lights and it is not heavily enforced as long as your not driving horribly or displaying blue lights
 

kd8eid

Member
Jan 15, 2011
223
Hinton, WV
Police - Blue, Cars and pov if desired, requires authorization from the chief - Police only. They can also have red and white.


All Fire, Trucks and pov, requires permit from the state fire marshal - Red only to the front. White and amber are allowed to the rear, nothing allowed in the headlights. Also Fire is allowed to use sirens. Siren is supposed to be used when lights are on but at 3am thru a residential neighborhood doesn't reflect very well on the fire department. (Not very strictly enforced on the white in the front, at least in my area)


All EMS, Trucks and pov, requires permit from state office of EMS - Red and white and siren.


Green - Command.


Amber - Wreckers, Department of Highways, Utility company, Construction, etc.


Purple - Funeral Home.
 

GaryErrol

Member
May 28, 2010
308
Indianapolis
ff_emt_820 said:
Indiana (from what I have gathered)


- Blue : volunteer fire (no siren)


- Red : fire apparatus / EMS trucks


- Amber : DOT / Towing / Snow Plows (private owned) / Mail Vehicles


- Red/Blue : Law Enforcement


- Green : volunteer EMS (EMT/Paramedic) (no siren)

In Indiana, I know that along with Red, EMS has to have at least one white light centered to the front.


White seems to be a color you can use with several colors. I've seen it with Red and Amber, don't know about Blue as their are no volunteer departments in my area.
 
Jan 20, 2011
1,264
Lake of the Ozarks
localhero800 said:
Missouri-

Fire- Pov-- Blue with siren( must use siren with light)


Trucks--- red and blue.


Law Enforcement- Red and or Red/Blue


General Warning-- Amber


Tow trucks CAN use red/blue when blocking traffic at an MVA. but most dont even use their amber bars.


Green-- Command.

Along with that, as far as my department goes, officers can run Red/Blue and fire fighters can run R/B to the rear but to the front is Blue and White.
 

Dave

Member
May 21, 2010
388
bath ny
signal12 said:
red and white with rear facing blue-pd
red and white with blue front and rear fd


blue only vol ff


green only vol ems


amber is construction, utilities etc


paid emd red and white


lights on-siren on while moving


vol pov cannot have flashing headlights but can manually flash them


most vol pov are using blue and white and whatever to the rear no sirens


BASICALLY! this is the trend for the most part

IN NY you can not run red / blue to the front


POV blue only no white light
 

jluisi86

Member
Jul 12, 2010
125
Poconos, PA
PA:


(From what I know and see everyday)


- Blue: Fire POV (Non-Chiefs) No clear (no siren)


- Red: Fire Chiefs & Asst. Chiefs (Can have clear and amber with siren also) / Fire Trucks / EMS Trucks


- Amber: DOT / Towing / Snow Plows / DOT / Utility Companies / Anyone...


- Red/Blue: Law Enforcement


- Green: Security / Command Center Marker Light
 

VFVFCo.68

Member
Jun 15, 2010
64
Valley Forge, PA
I believe, though a state has laws, most companies have their own set of by-laws about emergency lighting. In my fire company in Pennsylvania, firefighters run only blue lights, and chiefs and fire police officers can run red lights. Officers (captains and lieutenants) are just like firefighters and can only run blue lights.
 

jluisi86

Member
Jul 12, 2010
125
Poconos, PA
PA has its laws yes and so do many companies having there own rules/laws but they should follow the states law of course. PA state law does say Fire Police Captain/LT can run red/clear lights with a siren. Now what fire companies around the state allow is one thing but the PA state law is pretty straight forward but it should be enforced too...
 

SnuffJ25

Member
May 25, 2010
284
Penacook, NH
JraCrir said:
NH
Blue- police


red- fire/ems, written permission from director/chief/state required, not really enforced where I am.


purple- funeral


green- command


amber- warning (everyone else)


white- basically anyone with another color


siren- police/fire/ems, technically only required when running red lights at intersections and going up one way streets

Some police departments have started incorporating red into their light packages. NHSP, Hooksett, Manchester and Derry have all put red into their lights, front and rear.


NH OEM, NH DRED Forest Rangers and NH State Fire Marshall are Red/Blue.


Green is command, but I believe there is an RSA still present or some law that says green is reserved for responding hospital staff (MD, RN, etc.)


Amber is also used by practically all police, fire, ems, etc to the rear.


NH does have a bunch of specific laws, but nothing is all that enforced. Thet NHSP/HWY Patrol did crack down on construction, plow and tow trucks using white lights and white hideaways. A bunch of big name companies I know were fined.
 

gman021

Member
Dec 8, 2010
648
CT
SnuffJ25 said:
Some police departments have started incorporating red into their light packages. NHSP, Hooksett, Manchester and Derry have all put red into their lights, front and rear.

NH OEM, NH DRED Forest Rangers and NH State Fire Marshall are Red/Blue.


Green is command, but I believe there is an RSA still present or some law that says green is reserved for responding hospital staff (MD, RN, etc.)


Amber is also used by practically all police, fire, ems, etc to the rear.


NH does have a bunch of specific laws, but nothing is all that enforced. Thet NHSP/HWY Patrol did crack down on construction, plow and tow trucks using white lights and white hideaways. A bunch of big name companies I know were fined.

Can you run sirens in NH?
 

tarheel3559

Member
May 23, 2010
55
North Carolina
RES1CUE said:
to add to:

NC: Chief and Asst Chief Officers can utilize wig wags and siren with no permit/inspection/whatever.. Red.Clear.Amber or any combination off for Fire and/or EMS. Blue.Clear.Amber and any combo of for LEO.

Actually NC MVC states that it's illegal to run white to the rear, although it's not enforced. SHP has been complying with this as of the past few years by removing all the white to the rear and replacing it with amber. The only white to the rear I see nowadays is with local PDs and POVs seem to still do what they want.
 

Black Hoe

Member
May 21, 2010
427
Long Island, NY
Actually what was previously posted for New York is somewhat incorrect. The VTL states:


Authorized Emergency Vehicles - Red & Clear with Blue Rear Only & Siren (PD, FD, Ambulances)


Volunteer Firefighter - Blue Only, No Siren


Volunteer EMS Worker - Green Only, No Siren


Tow Truck / Hazard Vehicle - Amber Only, No Siren
 

squad 51 fan

Member
May 24, 2010
214
u.s.a.ph twp michigan
badge22 said:
Michigan (Abridged)

Red / Blue / White (No Amber, used anyway)


Police Only


Red/White (No Amber, used anyway)


Fire / EMS / POV of Firefighter, EMT, Owner of Ambulance Co., Doctor


Purple


Funeral


Amber


Mail, Towing ( also Red ), Military, POV of Police Officer, Security, DOT, Trash, Snow Removal, Utility, HazMat Response


Green


Prohibited according to law, but used as mobile command anyway.


Sirens are required on all emergency vehicles (POV also, with the exception of those only permitted amber) while responding to emergency calls.


There are some other minor conditions not included herein.

okay them why is the state fftc, and the nfpa telling the state police what to do. look at those darn amber lights on the rear left hand side. nfpa sets the standard but it's still ILLEGAL IN MICHIGAN , and AMBER isn't allowed the use of a siren under michigan p.a. 300 . also the sheriff's assn, now wants the california lights added to all michigan sheriff's vehicles.
 

badge22

Member
Aug 14, 2010
934
MI, United States
squad 51 fan said:
okay them why is the state fftc, and the nfpa telling the state police what to do. look at those darn amber lights on the rear left hand side. nfpa sets the standard but it's still ILLEGAL IN MICHIGAN , and AMBER isn't allowed the use of a siren under michigan p.a. 300 . also the sheriff's assn, now wants the california lights added to all michigan sheriff's vehicles.


True, that's the problem when GUIDELINES and laws become blurred. In the 1970's the Michigan Dept. of Public Health tried to mandate that all ambulances had to meet KKK regulations (Omaha Orange and the like). It took time, but they finally realized that KKK were guidelines for federally purchased ambulances not ALL ambulances.


I laugh when fire departments are in a panic to switch a rear beacon to amber. They refuse to read the law. The law only applies to people that don't work for the government anyway, when you think about it.


I am not aware of the Michigan Sheriff's association advocating Steady Red / Blue lights. But I do like the concept. It is a very effective signal.
 

LawrenceM1993

Member
Jun 2, 2010
160
Saratoga NY/Norfolk VA
Red: Police, Fire, EMS vehicles, Fire Chiefs, EMS Captains


White: Supplement to Red only


Blue: Vol. Fire (with permit), Rear on Police


Green: Vol EMS (with permit)


Amber: Utilities, Plow, etc. (no permit needed)


Purple: No laws, but usually on funeral vehicles only


Sirens: Police/Fire/EMS vehicles, Fire Chiefs, EMS Captains


Just wanted to make it a little clearer :D
 

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