How many lights is too many?

skyemt said:
actually, if you are in an accident, found to be speeding, you are covered by insurance. your rates may rise, but you are covered.
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Sorry sky, but that is NOT always true. Many insurance carriers such as Allstate, State Farm, etc. may have clauses that exempt the moment an emergency light is demonstrated on a private vehicle, it then becomes an "official vehicle" representing another company...i.e. you have a light and siren it is now representing the fire service, not your own.

The same if they find out you drive your vehicle for your company instead of personal business, they can drop your claims, and possible pursue insurance fraudulent representation (you did not give full representation or mislead the company).

One should to be sure to inform your representative that you respond in emergency status. The reason there is volunteer fire insurance, because so many DO NOT insure you with l/s.

R/r 911
 
Pittsburgh Proud said:
This was a good post. More should read this man's post and think about it. Very true.
Thank you Sir for saying so.
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Not a sir, its BossyCow, not BossyBull.
 
emt666 said:
i wont use my lights for a fire call but i do for ems and even then not all the time depends on the severity of the call also in my full time job i have had firepersonal use their lights to get around me only to see them pull into the gas station/bar/or their own driveway :excl::excl::excl:
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Agreed, While i may have enough gear on my truck to be insane, I dont always use it. But if i get a Pediatric, Not Breathing call... I damn well will use them. Not everyone who has the gear misuses it. It seems to me that a few bad apples, are spoiling the whole batch. My lightbar... Is more often turned on if im on the side of the road helping someone, or blocking traffic for the accident down the road. not while in motion.
However, i have different lenses for my bar, and i WILL use my amber lenses if im towing a vehicle or an unstable load. Besides, even if i do run Code3 to somewhere in my works rig, these drivers dont even yield to it!
Seems like the only thing they think that they have to pull to the right for is Red/Blue.
For running L+S to be effective we need to educate the public.
 
TgerFoxMark said:
However, i have different lenses for my bar, and i WILL use my amber lenses if im towing a vehicle or an unstable load. Besides, even if i do run Code3 to somewhere in my works rig, these drivers dont even yield to it!
Seems like the only thing they think that they have to pull to the right for is Red/Blue.
For running L+S to be effective we need to educate the public.
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I am confused, is this "rig" a tow truck? I would not pull over either. Sorry, my state as most define emergency vehicle lighting as either red or blue type flashing lights, other wise similar to the rural mail carriers and I don't pull for them either.

R/r 911
 
TgerFoxMark said:
Agreed, While i may have enough gear on my truck to be insane, I dont always use it. But if i get a Pediatric, Not Breathing call... I damn well will use them. Not everyone who has the gear misuses it. It seems to me that a few bad apples, are spoiling the whole batch. My lightbar... Is more often turned on if im on the side of the road helping someone, or blocking traffic for the accident down the road. not while in motion.
However, i have different lenses for my bar, and i WILL use my amber lenses if im towing a vehicle or an unstable load. Besides, even if i do run Code3 to somewhere in my works rig, these drivers dont even yield to it!
Seems like the only thing they think that they have to pull to the right for is Red/Blue.
For running L+S to be effective we need to educate the public.
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responding to an EMS call with amber lights?? towing an unstable load??

what the heck are you talking about???!!!???
 
nono, I change the lenses on my POV. I dont leave my duty lights on if im not on call
 
r/r, its a POV. Dodge 4x4. If one of my friends vehicles breaks down, i put in the ambers, and haul it to somewhere we can fix it. Sorry my post was a bit disjointed. lack of sleep this time. I was making 2 seperate comments, they ran together.
 
Using Lights For Non Emergency Use

Since this thread started about using lights for other than emergencies I am not getting into the have or have not debate. My thoughts are if you are going to have them and some always will as long as they are legal,then at least take the time to turn your brain on before you turn the lights on. In our squad I can say that if you are known to use lights for anything other than an emergency then you will no longer need them due to the fact that you are automatically dismissed. We have had that happen a few times. The last was a young guy who used the excuse that he was in a hurry to get to the batroom that does not meet my criteria for use of lights. When called in to explain him self he asked how we found out, we told him that a citizen from scanner land spotted him and had heard no call go out. So remember somebody is always watching and is more than willing to turn you in if they think you have screwed up, so lets try to set a good example at all times.
 
Ridryder911 said:
I am confused, is this "rig" a tow truck? I would not pull over either. Sorry, my state as most define emergency vehicle lighting as either red or blue type flashing lights, other wise similar to the rural mail carriers and I don't pull for them either.

R/r 911
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It sounds as if he uses his truck for multiple uses, including everyday use and work use, as well as responses. As such, his lights either has both amber and response colored lights, or the colors are interchangeable. As such, when his vehicle is a danger to other cars on the road (i.e. towing unstable cargo), he uses his amber lights as a general "warning," akin to a normal car hazard lights or hazardous/oversized load escort vehicle lights.
 
Ridryder911 said:
Sorry sky, but that is NOT always true. Many insurance carriers such as Allstate, State Farm, etc. may have clauses that exempt the moment an emergency light is demonstrated on a private vehicle, it then becomes an "official vehicle" representing another company...i.e. you have a light and siren it is now representing the fire service, not your own.

The same if they find out you drive your vehicle for your company instead of personal business, they can drop your claims, and possible pursue insurance fraudulent representation (you did not give full representation or mislead the company).

One should to be sure to inform your representative that you respond in emergency status. The reason there is volunteer fire insurance, because so many DO NOT insure you with l/s.

R/r 911
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well, i can not speak about all insurance carriers... however i did check with mine... as a volunteer with a "courtesy" light, i am required to abide by all traffic laws, and other drivers are under no obligation to pull over... responding as a private citizen asking for "courtesy" only, and as such insurance is NOT affected.

however, i'm sure that the use of red lights, or sirens probably changes that situation.
 
rescuepoppy said:
Since this thread started about using lights for other than emergencies I am not getting into the have or have not debate. My thoughts are if you are going to have them and some always will as long as they are legal,then at least take the time to turn your brain on before you turn the lights on. In our squad I can say that if you are known to use lights for anything other than an emergency then you will no longer need them due to the fact that you are automatically dismissed. We have had that happen a few times. The last was a young guy who used the excuse that he was in a hurry to get to the batroom that does not meet my criteria for use of lights. When called in to explain him self he asked how we found out, we told him that a citizen from scanner land spotted him and had heard no call go out. So remember somebody is always watching and is more than willing to turn you in if they think you have screwed up, so lets try to set a good example at all times.
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And Scannerland is why i change my lenses on my POV. if im doing something else! plus it keeps respect for my colors.
~Tger
 
"... about lights on POVs. How many is too many? "

I believe "One" is too many.
 
Sorry sky, but that is NOT always true. Many insurance carriers such as Allstate, State Farm, etc. may have clauses that exempt the moment an emergency light is demonstrated on a private vehicle, it then becomes an "official vehicle" representing another company...i.e. you have a light and siren it is now representing the fire service, not your own.
Click to expand...
I can't speak about Allstate, but that was one of the questions I had for my State Farm agent before I signed my policy with them. IE, if I'm in an accident while going to a call with L/S. He said he inquired for me and said, basically, as long as I'm driving with 'due regard' for public safety that I'm covered.
 
Be sure to read the fine print. I would not base my insurance coverage upon just what the agent stated. Most agents are not aware of the exclusions and exemptions.

I was a D.O.N. of a home care agency and most of employees insurance agents assured them that "they were covered" as well using their vehicles to make house calls. That was until one had an accident, and we quickly found out if one was using their vehicle in a manner than pleasure (normal/pleasure) that one would have to increase or change their policy.

This is why my state attorney general has ruled that p.o.v.'s are not allowed to have l/s in my state due to most national insurance carriers will not insure them under as private citizen. Yes, volunteer firefighters insurance will but again a separate insurance carrier. Again, many states require the company (city/community) to authorize the vehicle under their insurance policy while responding with l/s and be responsible for any occurrences.

R/r 911
 
SwissEMT said:
lol



Sorry.
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now vahey, is that sarcasm? im guessing thats a tongue-in-cheek response because your one of the only people on this board that saw my truck when it still had the lights in it. well if you read my previous posts in the thread, for quite some time towards the end of my trucks' "whacker days", i never used that gear. and its been gone for quite some time.

in other news, how are things with you? i talk to a few of the folks form class now and again but havent heard from or about you. better yet, lets have this convo offline. feel free to pm me..
 
If you use your car for emergency call outs...mmm!? I wouldn't do that.

Out here if your insurance finds out you used your vehicle as a "high risk beacon" they would not pay if something happens to your vehicle on a scene of an accident.
 
In the Northwest Territories off duty firefighters and EMS are not authorized to use emergency lights and siren in privately owned vehicles. The emergency lights and sirens stay on the department vehicles.
 
Excuse the ignorance... lights on personal vehicles??

What is the point? I don't know of a single person with lights on their personal vehicles in this whole county (there are 8 911 trucks, 5 non-911 trucks that do mostly transfers)... so thats at least 26 EMTs per day times 3 days.. you get my point.

Is it a regional thing maybe? Or is my county full of slack-asses?
 
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