WV Fire Marshal's Office ceases POV permits

[agrogg1]

http://www.firemarshal.wv.gov/Public...ePermits.aspx#

Effective yesterday, there will be no more red light permits issued in the state of West Virginia for POV's.

I assume a study will be done in this time frame, and also heard through the grape vine firefighters that currently have POV permits could all be, for lack of a better word, revoked.

Comments?

[tree68]

[url]Comments?

Maybe when some of them get done cheering...

[agrogg1]

I understand many people dislike POV response, but with new solutions, new problems will arise..

[FWDbuff]

Comments?

Someone finally came to their senses?

[CaptOldTimer]

What is the problem?

The State of West Virginia has spoken. Remove them from your truck.


What problems do you see happening? Guys stop volunteering because they aren't allow to have lights on their POV's?

The FD, in the county which I live doesn't allow them and no one got mad and quit!,

[Rescue101]

Popcorn? Check! Tall Frosty? Check! Comfy chair? Check!..........Standby,this is gonna be FUN to watch. T.C.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

Popcorn? Check! Tall Frosty? Check! Comfy chair? Check!..........Standby,this is gonna be FUN to watch. T.C.

It is a train wreck in the making!

[admpaul]

I think this is a good idea. Hopefully this will get people to slow down a little bit and stop crashing their vehicle while responding. I have not used my red light in my vehicle in a few years and I still get to the station in the same amount of time and safely. So this is being done to do some type of study the way I understood the write up? Well have there been probelms that they needed to do this?

[admpaul]

It is a train wreck in the making!

Are you talking about the popcorn and drink getting spilled in the chair or the red light issue?

[agrogg1]

Sorry it's taken a while since I found time to reply, but I have fastened my seatbelt for the train wreck I do understand why they're investigating this subject in regards to safety issues when responding to the station. I have lights in my vehicle but I live in a very rural area so I typically respond POV to most of our calls (I'm on the opposite end of our territory, where most of our calls are, 15 miles from our station). I feel a rural area is going to be affected more--there is nothing like being stuck behind a 5th wheel camper or log trucks while going to a call or to the station on a WV road. Despite the majority opinion, I believe the light permit program is beneficial to a fire dept. To the morons who can't handle a privilege with responsibility, thanks.

[agrogg1]

I think this is a good idea. Hopefully this will get people to slow down a little bit and stop crashing their vehicle while responding. I have not used my red light in my vehicle in a few years and I still get to the station in the same amount of time and safely. So this is being done to do some type of study the way I understood the write up? Well have there been probelms that they needed to do this?

To be honest, I don't know the extent of the problems, I'm sure it's high through the state of WV. For our county (7 vollie depts), we have few issues. The fire chiefs pull permits of morons if problems arise. However, the other day, a member was responding to a neighboring department and rolled his truck after hitting ice--he was running cold.

[BennyT373]

As a firefighter in WV, I see no problem with that. I've never had lights in my vehicle, and probably never will. People have a hard time stopping for an engine blaring an air horn, a Q, and enough lights to make a rave party jealous. This is all a direct result of the on going battle of workers comp coverage and what not in WV... it's a mess. Just a small group can ruin it for the rest of us. POV wrecks are a large majority of the reason there is large debate over coverage for fire depts.

Several depts in WV don't issue POV permits to their vollies anyways (mine included, for a few years now). Other depts that do, don't even require their members to have EVOC training or anything...

Honestly, I can see POV permits being reinstated... it will be a great argument state wide, and some statistic will be created about man power in relation to response time vs some incidents that may occur. But with reinstatement, will come some heavy regulations (training, membership duration, etc).

[MasterMerlin]

Well being from WV I have mixed emotions on this issue. I have had red lights for the almost 20 years that I have been a member. We all have those people who have abused their "privilege" using red lights, but to paint the whole state with one broad stroke of the brush is foolish. I personally rarely ever use them as I don't generally have the need due to my distance to the station.

I have two problems with the Fire Marshalls stance on no longer issuing permits. The first is the “study”. Since the existing permits are still valid, then we will have to wait until all of the existing people either retire from the service or trade their vehicles. This obviously will take years before there are few to none permits in existence. If there was to truly be a study, then the permits should be revoked from every vehicle. This would give the Fire Marshalls’ office the base in which to start their study. The second problem I have is there are obviously many rural areas in which the red lights could make a difference in the response. Now I am NOT advocating driving like a NASCAR driver to get to either the station or the scene. But with our rural roads, the Sunday driver or tourist could cause a serious delay.

I realize that many people on this forum are against red lights in POVs. I think sometimes they are warranted, and sometimes not. I personally believe it is the Chief’s responsibility to keep a reign on the members. If there is a problem then it should be taken care of locally and not with a broad stroke of stopping a policy state wide.

[DeputyMarshal]

Effective yesterday, there will be no more red light permits issued in the state of West Virginia for POV's.

Good for WV. I wish more departments and states would grow a set and stop issuing colored light permits to POVs that don't qualify as legitimate emergency vehicles.

[LaFireEducator]

Not from WV, but both my current department and several of my past departments have been in rural areas. A couple have been in medium density suburban areas.

While I fully understand that not everyone with a red light drives irresponsibly, enough do to make it a problem. In addition, while there are Chiefs that keep on eye on their members code 3 driving, there are enough that don't, which also makes it a problem.

I have been against red lights for the past 15 years, and haven't run one on my POV for the same period. IMO, the response time delays that can be caused in some cases do not override the safety issues, both to the members and the public, that are associated with red lights.

I'd like to see more states take WVs lead.

Just my opinion.