Emergency Lights & Sirens on POV?

[adamNYC]

If I ever witness an emergency while driving my POV or get flagged down, instead of using hazards, emergency lights would be nice. Are there any laws against this in NYC? As for sirens, I can't anticipate any needs for it. Ok, maybe for rapid txp but shouldn't I wait for an ambulance for that anyway? Thanks, and I'm ready for the whacker comments already

P.s. I love my batman belt.

Edit: I've recently been flagged down while on duty for a ped hit by vehicle so yeah that can explain my motivations

 

[Tigger]

No, you cannot get your own emergency lights. If you are affiliated with a volunteer agency that allows it, maybe then. If I recall they have some silly green light for volunteers in NY.

I suppose if you were really hellbent on being a whacker and contributing to the image problem at EMS has, you could affix amber lights, which do not confer you any special powers and are guaranteed to make you look ridiculous and unfortunate (whacker is not even appropriate at this point).

Or, you could just park your vehicle in a safe manner.

 

[chaz90]

If I ever witness an emergency while driving my POV or get flagged down, instead of using hazards, emergency lights would be nice. Are there any laws against this in NYC? As for sirens, I can't anticipate any needs for it. Ok, maybe for rapid txp but shouldn't I wait for an ambulance for that anyway? Thanks, and I'm ready for the whacker comments already

P.s. I love my batman belt.

Edit: I've recently been flagged down while on duty for a ped hit by vehicle so yeah that can explain my motivations

How would you ever get flagged down while off duty in your POV? This doesn't even make sense. If you get flagged down while on duty on the side of a roadway as mentioned, then feel free to turn on your emergency lights as required. If you for some reason feel the need to stop and apply your incredibly rare cell phone and handholding skills while off duty, pull to a safe place and do as you will.

And for the love of God, yes you should wait for an ambulance to transport a random person in need of medical interventions rather than tossing them in your POV and driving like a madman. That's a couple levels beyond whacker to anticipate needing lights and sirens to transport a patient in your POV.

 

[Carlos Danger]

If I ever witness an emergency while driving my POV or get flagged down, instead of using hazards, emergency lights would be nice. Are there any laws against this in NYC? As for sirens, I can't anticipate any needs for it. Ok, maybe for rapid

No, never wait for the ambulance. In fact I recommend patrolling in your POV when off duty, listening to the scanner and trying to get to 911 calls before EMS does.

 

[chaz90]

You liked my post? I did not see that coming.

 

[281mustang]

As for sirens, I can't anticipate any needs for it. Ok, maybe for rapid txp but shouldn't I wait for an ambulance for that anyway?

Did they not teach you the golden hour in school?

 

[adamNYC]

I read about this medic in 9/11 who had to get through traffic to get to work in a rush. All he had was a small emergency light and flashing his badge out the window. No sirens even. Poor guy.

 

[NomadicMedic]

This thread may be almost as good as the Explorer -1 socal thread.

Entertainment value is very high.

 

[adamNYC]

If only I were Hatzolah LMFAO

Aren't they the only ones with L&S POVs? I had a friend I went to EMT school with show me his hatzolah dads POV it was NICE. Had rumblers too.

 

[NomadicMedic]

You could always convert to Judaism.

 

[adamNYC]

Yup and it'd be for the POVs and the women lol

 

[Tigger]

I read about this medic in 9/11 who had to get through traffic to get to work in a rush. All he had was a small emergency light and flashing his badge out the window. No sirens even. Poor guy.

Please tell me you are not using this as justification.

No words.

 

[adamNYC]

Just throwing it out there. Btw, I found out some info. Apparently you have to be part of a volly group that authorizes L&S on POVs: https://www.health.ny.gov/professionals/ems/policy/01-01.htm

 

[281mustang]

10/10 thread. Would read again.

 

[DesertMedic66]

No, just no. If I roll up on scene and see a personal vehicle decked out with lights and a siren I may just die from laughing.

If your off duty don't stop. If you must then make sure it is safe to do (that means you can pull far off the road and are not blocking traffic).

If your on duty then you should be in a vehicle with lights and a siren correct? Or is it like dominoes pizza and your drive your own car but the company pays you for milage and has a 30mins or better response time?

Please don't transport people in your personal vehicle. I've seen the bodily fluids from patients and I don't want that in my seats. Unless your in the middle of BFE and your name is Bo Duke then don't do it.

 

[CALEMT]

If your off duty don't stop.

I bolded this to emphasize it. Unless I am on duty, in uniform, or in a company vehicle I do not stop. Why? I ask myself what good could I possibly be doing on the side of the road with no medical supplies what so ever. Plus fire and ems is more than likely less than 5 minutes out. It all comes down to what good am I going to do.

As far as emergency lighting goes, you'll have to look it up for your county. Im guessing unless you're affiliated with a volunteer agency the only type of lighting you'll be able to use is yellow amber lights.

 

[Handsome Robb]

Just to add fuel to the fire all our new ambulances we are getting have a toggle switch for the lights. Once on scene we're supposed to flip it backwards and it kills all the lights except the arrow stick and the amber lights on the back. Kinda how you see cops kill their forward facing emergency lights on traffic stops.

 

[Chris07]

 

[DesertMedic66]

Just to add fuel to the fire all our new ambulances we are getting have a toggle switch for the lights. Once on scene we're supposed to flip it backwards and it kills all the lights except the arrow stick and the amber lights on the back. Kinda how you see cops kill their forward facing emergency lights on traffic stops.

All of our ambulances have had this for a long time. If we flip the switch backwards it just turns on all the rear facing lights (amber and red). When I was an EMT I used it a lot.

 

[DrParasite]

If only I were Hatzolah LMFAO

Aren't they the only ones with L&S POVs? I had a friend I went to EMT school with show me his hatzolah dads POV it was NICE. Had rumblers too.

Ahhh, I love ignorance....

Hatzolah does issue lights and sirens to their personnel, along with the appropriate state permits. They also have a full compliment of BLS equipment in their POV, including oxygen, and their agency directs them to respond to the scene of calls they are dispatched to (their dispatch center, not 911), if they are closer. They also typically have one of their ambulances a few minutes behind them.

Technically, any volunteer could get lights and sirens, if their agency permitted them to, and if they followed the state regulations.

Just to add fuel to the fire all our new ambulances we are getting have a toggle switch for the lights. Once on scene we're supposed to flip it backwards and it kills all the lights except the arrow stick and the amber lights on the back. Kinda how you see cops kill their forward facing emergency lights on traffic stops.

I have to say, we have had a similar option for years on our trucks. we have a primary and secondary mode for our lights: primary is all the light on, and when you shift into park, it switches to secondary (which is all rotators off, all strobes off, and just the box lights and the non-rotators in our rear light bar on).

Don't transport strangers in your POV, park out of the way of any scenes you get flagged down for (not sure how this happens either) which typically means in front of an incident, wait for the AHJ to arrive and if they ask you to leave, be on your way.

I mean, it's not like your an IFT EMT in NYC, who never sees emergencies, and there is a fire engine, ambulance or cop on every street corner..... oh wait.....