no lightbars for ohio?

[station207]

Has anyone heard about the no lightbar policy that ohio is trying to pass?
I just heard rumor about it from someone from columbus. They siad that ohio is trying to pass a law so that volunteers, parttime, and combination departments cannot run with lights. I guess because there are to many yahoos that have lights and should not. This is impossible there is no way any department would survive if we didnt have lights on our vehicles.

[IACOJRev]

Originally posted by station207
This is impossible there is no way any department would survive if we didnt have lights on our vehicles.

This comment is just plain pathetic.

[Firedan38]

you do mean no light bars on POV's right?....i strongly agree with that...too many people drive with no due regard as it is. Im sure eventually some one will further expound on this subject.

[WTFD10]

I believe this is just a rumor. Have there been a slew of POV accidents lately in Ohio? Then I could see some politicians trying to get some votes by banning lights and sirens.

There is nothing about it on the Ohio Firefighters Assoc. website and I'm pretty sure there would be if it was true.

Have your friend get a House or Senate bill number for this supposed legislation.


And I think most departments could survive without lights on POVs

If you're worried about this, get control of the yahoos in your department and get them to slow down. If everbody policed themselves through SOPs/SOGs, discipline and peer pressure, there wouldn't be a problem.

[station207]

Its not the yahoos in the departments its people that just can go out and buy a light bar, strobes, or a light changer. And use them in an illegal way.

[WTFD10]

Originally posted by station207
Its not the yahoos in the departments its people that just can go out and buy a light bar, strobes, or a light changer. And use them in an illegal way.

I disagree with you. I think there are many more instances of volunteers driving like idiots racing to calls than there are of weirdos with dash lights trying to pull over cars with single female occupants but the problem you mention would be easy to fix: You have to show proof of active department membership to get Ohio Volunteer FF license plates, just make it the same to purchase lights and sirens and enforce the exisiting windshield ID decal law.

[MetalMedic]

I have not heard of any such legislation being proposed. And, as was pointed out, since there has not been any recent "high profile" incidents involving a light bar on a personal vehicle, I doubt there would be any effort made to create such a law. In fact, I am aware that there is an effort to increase benefits for volunteers in Ohio (gratis vehicle license is one of the ideas being proposed), so I cannot see the legislators taking away with one hand while giving with the other.

As for the comments from the members who are from outside of Ohio, please be assured that Ohio does not seem to have the problems that exist in other parts of the country. The use of lights and sirens in Ohio has not created any notable problems that I am aware of during the past 24 years I have been involved in the Fire Service. From my observations in traveling around the state, most departments do not have a large percentage of their members operating more than a modest dash light and siren combination. There are a few with all the bells and whistles, but they are the exception more than the rule.

[firenresq77]

I haven't heard this either. I bet it's just a rumor. And yes, people could survive without their lights and sirens......

[Weruj1]

We could certainly survive minus the lights, I too havent heard anything of the like, and agree with Moe that there should be some kind of ID process for a purchase like that. In Ohio as I think someone else stated, eache year our vehicles are inspected, and get a individual decal with a registered ID # on it for us. In my almost 18 years on we do have to give the ocassional talking to to some member about speed and it works, before I got on in the early/mid 1980's we did have a member get in an accident where he hit a car, it was his fault, and it was dealt with accordingly.

[mohican]

I find lights to be more of an advantage if I am 1st on scene with my POV, or coming to scene with POV and putting the magnetic flashing light while I get out and help, same as If I put on my 4way flashers.

It's been my experience that more and more people ignore lights and sirens on BRTs and ambulances, let alone someone trying to warpspeed themselves to the station in POV so that they can make the 1st truck out.

[tk1918]

Maybe (??) station207 is referring to someone like we have in our community who comes to scenes with a yellow strobe light on his car, flags, stands around the scene, etc... and not even a member. He drives pretty erratic, but who can say anything to him but OSP or SO? It's people like this guy who we could be referring to that has no affiliation with a department, but has a light to get to a scene if he wants.

[Fire40man]

Who needs a light bar? Just paint your car or truck safety yellow and everyone will see you.

[mohican]

Originally posted by firenresq77
I haven't heard this either. I bet it's just a rumor. And yes, people could survive without their lights and sirens......

yes, but can you go to NOVFA school at bowling green without the whole christmas tree on your POV?

[PFD109NFD107]

Originally posted by Fire40man
Who needs a light bar? Just paint your car or truck safety yellow and everyone will see you.

God No!!!! I think that safety yellow distracts you when you are backing up..... At least that seems to be the case here... CRASH!!!!

[Weruj1]

HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm gonna elaborate ? I mean its not like it was in the muddy Muamee or anything?

[PFD109NFD107]

Originally posted by Weruj1
HMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm gonna elaborate ? I mean its not like it was in the muddy Muamee or anything?

Nothing much excited to elaborate on..... Our trucks just like to back into things lately.

[dmleblanc]

This is impossible there is no way any department would survive if we didnt have lights on our vehicles.

...I'd like to think this is sarcasm.....

[MichaelD77]

Let me bring up a dead subject since I was talking about this with a buddy of mine a week ago.

The version of the story I heard was that they're trying to make it so that Ohio volunteers can't have lightbars and can only have dash lights. I don't know why, but thats what I was hearing.

Personally, I think this whole thing is bull **** if it's true. So we have people driving irratically, but at least they have lights and sirens to let people know they're comming. Taking away lights and sirens will make it worse because now you will have volunteers going 50 in a 35 without warning, passing people on the right, and some will blow through red lights and stop signs. Taking away lights and sirens would not be wise.

Another thing is that some of the accidents I hear about aren't even the voluteers fault. The stories I've heard about accidents when going on runs usually was when people either didn't yield or tried to race our vounteers.

[fireirishDFD217]

I work for paid dept. here in north Georgia. We are not allowed to run lights but we are called in for large fires to help the other battalions. Even the volunteers for the surrounding county don't get to run red lights unless they are an officer or above usually. But even if they get lights, the law for this area states that even when use of emergency lights is permitted, the vehicle can go no more than ten miles over the speed limit. Most cops don't even stop civilians going ten miles over the limit here. In fact the S.O. has regulations stating that they must give at least ten mile an hour cushion before giving a ticket. Our departments have no problems getting personel to the scene when they need them. When we went through our evoc course they even told us that you only gain a few minutes by blowing through red lights and intersections. I also agree with most of the other people on here, not everyone should be allowed to run lights. Some are not mature enough for it. But here's an idea. Run emergency to a call. If you have to go back there again, run it non-emergency and see how long it takes. If it takes a significant amount of time without emergency lights, relay it to you state govt. Let them know why you think that "depriving" firefighters of their equipment is wrong.

[MichaelD77]

I'm not saying that it would significantly increase the time it takes to get to the station. Although, a lot of the time it would significantly increase around here. What I was saying that because of the way I know a lot of volunteers drive, it would make it more danerous when they report to the station.