If you are an officer (Chief or Asst. Chief) in my neck of the woods in Northern New York it is a generally accepted practice that you can have a red light, siren etc on your POV. But can you run just a red light? and no siren? And I understand that just because it is generally accepted does not mean its legal - read below.
My reasoning is this: I have a very simple mini blue light bar that I don’t even use any more because it is ugly, a bug magnet, and my truck cannot fit into the garage with it on. Did I mention that I also live in the middle of nowhere and the deer and Amish don’t care what kind of light you have; in other words it is not necessary.
If I were ever to become an officer (Chief or Asst. Chief) could I just have the light (with a red lens) for "on scene" illumination for safety and identification. What I like about the light is that it provides 360 degrees of light and not just something that is on the dash.
BUT....
Technically, in NYS I think that you cannot legally run red lights and sirens on a POV because it is not considered a "fire vehicle" under NYS V&T section 115. Your POV is certainly not any other kind of emergency vehicle. And perhaps, if you choose to not follow the law and get into an accident or cause and accident where will the responsibility fall? Your family, your house, your retirement, your kids college fund... You get the idea after all it is YOUR vehicle – not the FD’s
What I mean by not being considered a "fire vehicle" is that the vehicle (POV) is owned by you and perhaps your bank. 115-A states that a "fire vehicle" is operated for fire service purposes owned and identified as being owned by the state, a public authority, a county, town, city, village or fire district, or a fire corporation subject to the provisions of subdivision (e) of section fourteen hundred two of the not-for-profit corporation law or a fire company as defined in section one hundred of the general municipal law.
So does this mean that every fire chief and assistant in NYS who uses a POV with a red light and siren is breaking the law? Surely I must be mistaken and would appreciate any good, factual, and helpful information.
Thanks -NoCoFire
My reasoning is this: I have a very simple mini blue light bar that I don’t even use any more because it is ugly, a bug magnet, and my truck cannot fit into the garage with it on. Did I mention that I also live in the middle of nowhere and the deer and Amish don’t care what kind of light you have; in other words it is not necessary.
If I were ever to become an officer (Chief or Asst. Chief) could I just have the light (with a red lens) for "on scene" illumination for safety and identification. What I like about the light is that it provides 360 degrees of light and not just something that is on the dash.
BUT....
Technically, in NYS I think that you cannot legally run red lights and sirens on a POV because it is not considered a "fire vehicle" under NYS V&T section 115. Your POV is certainly not any other kind of emergency vehicle. And perhaps, if you choose to not follow the law and get into an accident or cause and accident where will the responsibility fall? Your family, your house, your retirement, your kids college fund... You get the idea after all it is YOUR vehicle – not the FD’s
What I mean by not being considered a "fire vehicle" is that the vehicle (POV) is owned by you and perhaps your bank. 115-A states that a "fire vehicle" is operated for fire service purposes owned and identified as being owned by the state, a public authority, a county, town, city, village or fire district, or a fire corporation subject to the provisions of subdivision (e) of section fourteen hundred two of the not-for-profit corporation law or a fire company as defined in section one hundred of the general municipal law.
So does this mean that every fire chief and assistant in NYS who uses a POV with a red light and siren is breaking the law? Surely I must be mistaken and would appreciate any good, factual, and helpful information.
Thanks -NoCoFire
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