Possession of blue lights out of your home state.

[sponge]

[quote]Originally posted by a1633jfd:
It all boils down to a simple law change...let the cops have the blue and everyone else have red....Problem solved!!!

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How about ALL emergency vehicles should be one color?
I can't figure out why some states (ie the south and New England) think that cops need to be a different color from everyone else. The last time I checked, you were supposed to get out of the way of ALL emergency vehicles. As a motorist, I shouldn't care what type it is, I should just pull over and stop. If the emergency vehicle pulls up behind me and shines a spotlight at my car, then it shouldn't be too hard to figure out it's a cop and not the fire chief.

[FDNYRR]

Having come from a large Urban City, and now residing in a rural area, I'm not totally familiar with the different laws and variants of......
Having said that, the only two reasons I can possibly think of as to why an out-of-stater would be willing to show off their lights is two-fold. First they have a tendency to speed, and need a "professional" out, or they are simply show=boating, and in that case their wrong also.
There is an exception to this however, and I do not believe it is the problem at hand....and that is mutual aid, whether it be town to town, town to city, state to state, or state to country. Mutual Aid responses are usually worked out in advance, so I do not see a Police Officer-Sheriff-Trooper making a deal with that.
Like I said, I'm not knowledgeable in this feild, but common-sense dictates if they can't be removed, cover the light(s), if your somewhere, where your particular status is not counted-needed-required.

[a1633jfd]

[quote]Originally posted by obx-emt:
A1633JFD: I shouldn't even dignify the sheer ignorance of your comments with a response, however read back and see the context in which my statements were made, to whom they were addressed, and why. ALSO:

1.) What's an "EXAPLME"?
2.) "You're" means "you are" whereas "your" states a possession, quality, etc. of the person to whom you are speaking.
3.) Speaking of "gods", you think your status (refernce my use of the word "your", see number 2 above) as a volunteer firefighter should exempt you from state law?

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Obx - Well thanks for the english lesson Mr. Webster....

Obx - relax all I am saying is there should be a national standard on what color light each profession should have, this would then eliminate stupid arguments like this one.

As far as state laws go, each state has different laws on emergency lights. I have no problem following state laws, I just got the impression from your statement that you where on a power trip.....as far as I'm concerned everyone (police,fire,ems) should follow and obey all of the laws, not just on emergency lights.

[NMFD33]

On behalf of everyone else, anyone who wants ill gladly send them a box of tissues. Arent we all firefighters here? last i checked this wasnt babypen.com

[Ohiovolffemtp]

FDNYRR,
To answer your question as to why I would have lights displayed while out of state: I have a permanently mounted full size light bar on my personal vehicle. Given the areas I've served, that has been required to speed my response, in particular EMS 1st response. Do to the size of the response districts, I've had to respond hot up to 15 miles. I've also had to stop at MVA's on 4 lane divided highways. Full warning lights are needed for scene and personal safety.

Until recently, this has been my only vehicle, so it had to be the vehicle I drove on business travel & vacation. Since the bar is permanently roof mounted, that's why I had lights in view while out of state. As I mentioned in a previous post, I've only been even questioned once, in a motel parking lot in Illinois. It was a very polite encounter with a local cop who just asked for verification that I was a firefighter. I acknowledge that other folks may have had other experiences, but in almost 20 years of traveling, this has been my experience.

To take in one step further, in a very few circumstances I've stopped at MVA's while out of state (only when there were no other responders present)and activated my lights to protect the scene, the injured, and myself. I've never been questioned, though I don't recall whether the states allowed red lights for volunteers or not. A question for the police officers in this thread - how would you react to a person who did that - no responding - just a parked vehicle on scene with emergency lights activated?

[FDNYRR]

Ohio Volly: I'm with you 100%, as far as your response district, and any other perihperal areas your normally assigned to. As far as Light Bars on a vehicle you travel with....I don't agree. Why?
For the main reasons mentioned here....there is NO universal light system "yet" in this country, as far as State to State, and your color lights in the wrong State, may in fact induce a MVA. "KISS" Keep It Simple Stupied.....(and not meant personally), just cover the damn things, or if removable, take them off. As far as stopping to aid in other States, so far, I managed with just my four-ways on......and have never been chastised for it. Remember a Cop , or Firefighter, or EMS is not necesasarily so in another State. Certifications are different, even the infamous "National Certification" in EMS, so away from home your John Doe, and like all us other John Doe's....a nobody!