LED Lights on Ambulance?

[exodus]

Ah, ours are two white strobes near the middle of the light bar, it goes like this

R-R-R-R-W-(steadyRed)(steadyRed)-W-R-R-R-R

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Ah, ours are two white strobes near the middle of the light bar, it goes like this

R-R-R-R-W-(steadyRed)(steadyRed)-W-R-R-R-R

What is with the steadyRed?

On our standard lightbar it goes:

R-R-W-Opticom-W-R-R

Our LED lightbars go:

R-R-A-R-Opticom-R-A-R-R

I have some pics in my profile album. I'll try to get some of the new ambulance in there.

 

[JPINFV]

What is with the steadyRed?

Per California Vehicle Code, all emergency vehicles are required to display a 'steady burning forward facing red light' when using lights and sirens. Technically everything else besides that light is extra. At my old company, that light was either the grill lights or the middle light of the three lights on the top front for the type 2 Wheeled Coach Crusaders. On the Horton Type 3s it was in the middle of the light bar and I don't remember where it was on the Leader type 2s.


Exodus, are you using Leaders?

 

[daedalus]

Per California Vehicle Code, all emergency vehicles are required to display a 'steady burning forward facing red light' when using lights and sirens. Technically everything else besides that light is extra. At my old company, that light was either the grill lights or the middle light of the three lights on the top front for the type 2 Wheeled Coach Crusaders. On the Horton Type 3s it was in the middle of the light bar and I don't remember where it was on the Leader type 2s.


Exodus, are you using Leaders?

The good ol steady burn law, formulated in like the land before time. CHP is the only organization I know of that goes out of their way to follow that law (probably because they are charged with enforcing it) but it looks ridiculous when their unmarked units have only the blue lights blinking and all the red steady burning. Our lightbars have the middle most light always on, but LA city fire just switched to LED light bars which do not...

 

[JPINFV]

Do LACo's grill lights blink or are they steady on the units with the LED light bars?

 

[daedalus]

Do LACo's grill lights blink or are they steady on the units with the LED light bars?

Not sure, maybe that is how they meet the steady burn criteria.

 

[JPINFV]

I don't even imagine CHP just giving a pass to fire departments by virtue of it being a fire department and not a private ambulance.

 

[JonTullos]

I'm a fan of LEDs personally. They're so much brighter... but wowzers are they expensive!

 

[exodus]

Per California Vehicle Code, all emergency vehicles are required to display a 'steady burning forward facing red light' when using lights and sirens. Technically everything else besides that light is extra. At my old company, that light was either the grill lights or the middle light of the three lights on the top front for the type 2 Wheeled Coach Crusaders. On the Horton Type 3s it was in the middle of the light bar and I don't remember where it was on the Leader type 2s.


Exodus, are you using Leaders?

Yup! We got Leaders.

 

[NolaRabbit]

My service is running LED's on all our units, and let me tell you, they are hella bright. Day or night, people see them a lot better than our old units with the strobes. The light definitely bounces off of everything. I wish I could find a photo with them on, but here are a few that at least show the configuration:

We all seem to think the LED's are a big improvement.

We also recently put Rumblers on a few of our sprints - and that's a whole 'nother thread.

 

[EMT007]

The good ol steady burn law, formulated in like the land before time. CHP is the only organization I know of that goes out of their way to follow that law (probably because they are charged with enforcing it) but it looks ridiculous when their unmarked units have only the blue lights blinking and all the red steady burning. Our lightbars have the middle most light always on, but LA city fire just switched to LED light bars which do not...

Doesn't really take much "going out of the way" to program one light to be always on. An agency would be absolutely out of their minds not to follow this law, as without it, they are not an emergency vehicle and other vehicles don't have to pull over for them.

The new LAFD rigs have the two LED grill lights as steady reds (a setup I much prefer to having the steady reds in the lightbar)

 

[JPINFV]

An agency would be absolutely out of their minds not to follow this law, as without it, they are not an emergency vehicle and other vehicles don't have to pull over for them.

I think that's a little harsh. I doubt very many people outside of the emergency services know that the only light that "counts" is the steady red. I bet if you showed a video of two emergency vehicles, one with a steady red and one with out, that 10 people couldn't tell which one wasn't the "real" emergency vehicle.

 

[EMT007]

I think that's a little harsh. I doubt very many people outside of the emergency services know that the only light that "counts" is the steady red. I bet if you showed a video of two emergency vehicles, one with a steady red and one with out, that 10 people couldn't tell which one wasn't the "real" emergency vehicle.

Agree completely. My point is that "legally" they would not be an emergency vehicle and would be wide open from a legal liability standpoint should anything happen while running code. I guarantee you that lawyers know the law and would use it to the advantage of their client. I maintain that it would be reckless to disregard this law just because you might think it archaic. I'm a little curious who Daedalus has seen without a steady red. h34r:

 

[lightsandsirens5]

My service is running LED's on all our units, and let me tell you, they are hella bright. Day or night, people see them a lot better than our old units with the strobes. The light definitely bounces off of everything. I wish I could find a photo with them on, but here are a few that at least show the configuration:

We all seem to think the LED's are a big improvement.

We also recently put Rumblers on a few of our sprints - and that's a whole 'nother thread.

Awsome rigs! Who makes those? I so much prefer the truck chassis over the vans. They look kinda like the ones we use. Ours are North Stars made by Braun NW.

 

[Proud2bffemt]

I think the LED lights on cop cars is great. While it makes them harder to spot, I like how bright they are.

Has anyone seen LEDs on an ambulance? Whether it be the main light bar or on the sides / back, I'm wondering if such a setup exists.

My Dept runs a 2007 Osage Type I and we have All LED warning lights with the exception of a Full rotator Vector lightbar. the LEDs are BRIGHT. We Also have a Tomar Emitter Strobe in the center box light to control the traffic lights.

I like them, Brighter, Less Maintenance Less headaches.

 

[marineman]

Awsome rigs! Who makes those? I so much prefer the truck chassis over the vans. They look kinda like the ones we use. Ours are North Stars made by Braun NW.

Look at the license plate in the first picture, if I had to go on a limb I'd guess it's made by wheeled coach

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Look at the license plate in the first picture, if I had to go on a limb I'd guess it's made by wheeled coach

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa................... :blush:

 

[MedicObserver]

the local CO. that i ride with has 2009 Navistar Med Duty units built by TraumaHawk (i love that word, i dont know why though) and they are all LED. everything. the RapidResponse 4x4 tahoe has an LED light bar and LED red/blue flashing street-glow neon underneath. it's cool because at night you can see the colors flash on the road if you look out the window. i love the LED system. the touchpanel is easier to operate too. i used to have to use my index finger and my flip-off finger (i dont know what you call the fingers; im a freakin' observer not a doctor) but now i just use the index because it takes so little presses on the screen to get things going. all the lights and sirens are on a program and the intersection buzzer is on a foot press button that either the driver or the front passenger (me) can use. i love working with the equipment almost as much as i do helping people. a little kid with a gash on his head can tell you thank-you and hi-5 you; a portable or a touchpanel can't.

 

[Proud2bffemt]

This is my ambulance I mentioned before with the LEDs Vector bar and White Traffic controller strobe
This Picture was from Memorial Day 2008, the flags are not standard fare for the truck

 

[NolaRabbit]

Look at the license plate in the first picture, if I had to go on a limb I'd guess it's made by wheeled coach

DING DING DING DING! Correct!

Incidentally, I got a look at one of the new units we are supposedly getting, and amazingly, the LED's are even brighter than the ones we have now. I didn't think it was possible. The whole thing looks sweet...AND they have the Rumblers!