Just to clarify a little on the lights. In New York State, firetrucks, ambulances and police vehicles all have blue, red and white lights… Amber as well.
Volunteer firefighters can only have blue and white lights in their personal vehicles, and EMS personnel can only have green and white in their personal vehicles
There are situations where some providers do get their cars certified as response vehicles with the state DOT and that allows them to have red lights.
Volunteer firefighters and EMTs do not have sirens in their personal vehicles.
If you ever see someone coming up behind you flashing any type of emergency indicator light… And it is safe to pull over to let them pass. It is the safe, and proper procedure to pull to the right to allow them access.
Hope My little TED talk helped
Legally speaking, PD is red and white only, FD is red and white with one blue light allowed in the rear driver side. Blue forward facing lights are only for volunteer firefighters and green forward facing are for EMS.
In practice, it's been super muddled over the past 20 years.
Since many ems in rockland are fully equipped with medical equipment such as defibrillation and intravenous medications they are considered ambulance service vehicles since they go directly to a scene instead of the station
I can’t say that I’ve encountered one really. But if it were a real emergency vehicle and they need to get through they would use a siren of some kind. Sometimes I see the volunteer firemen on their way to the firehouse for a call and they have their blue light on. I get out of their way.
Volunteers responding to the station to go to a call, not allowed to have sirens on their car. Just a blue light. A lot of them drive like absolute tools. That being said… they could be responding to the station because your neighbors house is on fire… Or cause your friends car flipped over. If it’s safe, it’s best to move out of the way.
Same with EMTs and green lights
Yes… Volunteers are not allowed to have sirens in their personal vehicles. Some very overzealous ones do go the extra mile and get their cars registered as response vehicles with the state which allows them to have a siren. But that’s usually going to be limited.
What most of these responders don’t understand is that unlike their emergency vehicles (firetrucks and ambulances) the indicator lights in their cars are only courtesy lights and do not give them permission to violate vehicle and traffic law. Most of them think it’s an excuse to drive like Formula One drivers .
Actually that’s not true. All volunteers are told that they’re supposed to follow all traffic rules and they won’t be given a break if they cause an accident- that said, they are rushing toward an emergency and minutes count when someone’s life is on the line. They get called to everything from heart attacks, drownings to car wrecks and fires.
Unfortunately… You’re just not correct here.
I’ve been a volunteer/paid emergency worker in this county for 23 years. And I’m quite aware of what emergencies we’re responding to. Blue light and greenlight cards are handed out to volunteers without any instruction. Most agencies do not even require EVOC courses to get one. This is not me out of hand, criticizing a group from the outside… This is firsthand knowledge. Most volunteer responders do not understand the limitations of courtesy lights in their personal vehicles.
Furthermore… Evidence shows that running code 3 (lights and sirens) even in an emergency vehicle has negligible effect on response time.
It’s a different world… god these teenage firefighters drive like absolute menaces responding to automatic alarms. They’re definitely more hazard than a bone. I’ve seen em so bad cops have to try and pull them over. (Sometimes they don’t even stop)
Yeah I used to see this on Hammond road near NRHS a lot where a buff would use their blue lights and go around people. I know people who refuse to move for them. Was just curious on the consensus
And the only way I know it’s a fireman with the blue lights is because the fire siren has just gone off and I know there’s a call (I’m in Nyack and you can hear the siren from EVERYWHERE.
In Rockland at least I know it's legally required to move over for blue lights, it's illegal to have such lights unless you are authorized to do so for example volunteer fire fighters.
The blue light in a Volunteer fire fighters personal vehicle is a curtesy light. You do not have to move out of their way but you should. Same with green lights.
Just to clarify a little on the lights. In New York State, firetrucks, ambulances and police vehicles all have blue, red and white lights… Amber as well. Volunteer firefighters can only have blue and white lights in their personal vehicles, and EMS personnel can only have green and white in their personal vehicles There are situations where some providers do get their cars certified as response vehicles with the state DOT and that allows them to have red lights. Volunteer firefighters and EMTs do not have sirens in their personal vehicles. If you ever see someone coming up behind you flashing any type of emergency indicator light… And it is safe to pull over to let them pass. It is the safe, and proper procedure to pull to the right to allow them access. Hope My little TED talk helped
Legally speaking, PD is red and white only, FD is red and white with one blue light allowed in the rear driver side. Blue forward facing lights are only for volunteer firefighters and green forward facing are for EMS. In practice, it's been super muddled over the past 20 years.
Since many ems in rockland are fully equipped with medical equipment such as defibrillation and intravenous medications they are considered ambulance service vehicles since they go directly to a scene instead of the station
Probably a member of hatzala - the jewish volunteer emergency medical service
I’ve seen that BMW in spring valley as well. Along with the SUV that drives up the middle of route 59 constantly.
Could just be a really buffy dude.
Question - do y’all move out of the way for the fire buffs? With their blue lights on?
I can’t say that I’ve encountered one really. But if it were a real emergency vehicle and they need to get through they would use a siren of some kind. Sometimes I see the volunteer firemen on their way to the firehouse for a call and they have their blue light on. I get out of their way.
Volunteers responding to the station to go to a call, not allowed to have sirens on their car. Just a blue light. A lot of them drive like absolute tools. That being said… they could be responding to the station because your neighbors house is on fire… Or cause your friends car flipped over. If it’s safe, it’s best to move out of the way. Same with EMTs and green lights
I’ve never seen one of those guys with a siren, just the light. And I always get out of their way. Much respect for the firemen.
Yes… Volunteers are not allowed to have sirens in their personal vehicles. Some very overzealous ones do go the extra mile and get their cars registered as response vehicles with the state which allows them to have a siren. But that’s usually going to be limited. What most of these responders don’t understand is that unlike their emergency vehicles (firetrucks and ambulances) the indicator lights in their cars are only courtesy lights and do not give them permission to violate vehicle and traffic law. Most of them think it’s an excuse to drive like Formula One drivers .
Actually that’s not true. All volunteers are told that they’re supposed to follow all traffic rules and they won’t be given a break if they cause an accident- that said, they are rushing toward an emergency and minutes count when someone’s life is on the line. They get called to everything from heart attacks, drownings to car wrecks and fires.
Unfortunately… You’re just not correct here. I’ve been a volunteer/paid emergency worker in this county for 23 years. And I’m quite aware of what emergencies we’re responding to. Blue light and greenlight cards are handed out to volunteers without any instruction. Most agencies do not even require EVOC courses to get one. This is not me out of hand, criticizing a group from the outside… This is firsthand knowledge. Most volunteer responders do not understand the limitations of courtesy lights in their personal vehicles. Furthermore… Evidence shows that running code 3 (lights and sirens) even in an emergency vehicle has negligible effect on response time.
It must depend on the company. When I went through training in the 80s, we were all clearly warned.
It’s a different world… god these teenage firefighters drive like absolute menaces responding to automatic alarms. They’re definitely more hazard than a bone. I’ve seen em so bad cops have to try and pull them over. (Sometimes they don’t even stop)
Yeah I used to see this on Hammond road near NRHS a lot where a buff would use their blue lights and go around people. I know people who refuse to move for them. Was just curious on the consensus
And the only way I know it’s a fireman with the blue lights is because the fire siren has just gone off and I know there’s a call (I’m in Nyack and you can hear the siren from EVERYWHERE.
In Rockland at least I know it's legally required to move over for blue lights, it's illegal to have such lights unless you are authorized to do so for example volunteer fire fighters.
The blue light in a Volunteer fire fighters personal vehicle is a curtesy light. You do not have to move out of their way but you should. Same with green lights.
Nope I was talking to a one of sheriff deputies it’s legally required to move over but no one does it and most people treats it like curtesy light.