blue mini light bar

[emtkelley]

Please don't be offended when I say this but my husband has lights on his car and it is really embarrassing to ride in it with him (I am in EMS too). Total whackerism. In fact, I am trying to find a nice way asking him to take them out without hurting his feelings.

I have never seen the point of having lights in a POV. We have to drive the speed limit like everyone else while enroute to the station. They really don't serve much of a purpose, IMO.

 

[mrdell4150]

the lights simply serve as a warning. There are two main intersections that I need to go through in order to get to the building and everyone on my squad has at least one light. They do not give you any special privileges, but many people will yield to me at night. Also, I sometimes go directly to the scene, where a light lets others know where I'm from and what I'm doing.

 

[ffemt8978]

the lights simply serve as a warning. There are two main intersections that I need to go through in order to get to the building and everyone on my squad has at least one light. They do not give you any special privileges, but many people will yield to me at night. Also, I sometimes go directly to the scene, where a light lets others know where I'm from and what I'm doing.

It also helps when you don't exactly park in a designated parking space.

 

[Jon]

It also helps when you don't exactly park in a designated parking space.

Amen.

I had an EMS Lt once who drove a sedan... he went direct to calls... he put a litte dashlight on the front dash... and a whole load of strobes in the rear deck of the vehicle... so he didn't get hit on scenes.

 

[KEVD18]

i guess the validity of having light in your pov depends on whether you live in a state that recognizes properly authorized pov's as emergency vehicles or not. if so, then you are afforded the same privaleges( through red lights after stop etc) as a rescue, engine or cruiser. if its a courtesy light, i agree its mostly just whackerism, except for the parking thing.

 

[mrdell4150]

I have narrowed it down to a few different lights. I am limited to blue color only in NJ. I can either get a clear dome with blue lights or a blue dome with clear lights, which is better?

 

[SwissEMT]

There are two main intersections that I need to go through in order to get to the building

That should not be relevant to the discussion since at the intersection you are to behave like all other vehicles on the road. That includes red lights, stop signs and speed limits. You will save no time.

I don't quite understand the whole "designated parking" concept. I have NEVER heard of a LEO giving a ticket or making issue of first responder's parking unless it interefered or threatened emergency operations.

Once in my life did I show up in my POV and it was the dumbest idea ever. What the hell are you going to do when you're running the call? Leave your car behind? And then what happens when you get another call? In the end, your car obstructs the road while you're off playing in the wambulance.

Why is there a need for a light? No. People just like to feel like Starsky and Hutch

 

[BossyCow]

I work with a volly agency and most of our responders show up POV. Those who do not transport are responsible to shuttle cars left at the scene back to the closest station. We are trained to leave our keys on the dash when we get out of our rigs.

Very often I can be on scene for up to 10 minutes on my own before a rig shows up. Rural area, 52 square mile district.

 

[ffemt8978]

I don't quite understand the whole "designated parking" concept. I have NEVER heard of a LEO giving a ticket or making issue of first responder's parking unless it interefered or threatened emergency operations.

It's about protecting yourself and your patients on the scene, especially if you arrive before the rigs (which happens a lot in rural areas). Would you rather someone hit you, your patient, or your vehicle, or avoid the accident because they slowed down for the lights in the rear of your vehicle?

My district covers 240 square miles, and an ambulance can be as far as 20-30 minutes away. Law can sometimes be as far away as 45 minutes. That's a long time to remain on scene waiting for an emergency vehicle.

 

[mrdell4150]

It's not that I get through the intersection any faster by having a light, it's just that the intersection backs up a lot and if people see the light, they pull over to the shoulder, allowing me to get to the intersection faster, (not go through it without stopping at red lights, stop signs, etc.) Also, when first responders go POV to a scene, the lights help us determine where the house or location is quickly and alert other motorists so they don't hit the car.

 

[Mercy4Angels]

i love my lights and youll never take them away....never !, LOL....i wuv to wight up the woad in my wambulance....i mean car...