Well put.

 

Let me put this in plain english for your simple mind. Unlike the paid, county stations, we're not sitting next to our trucks 24/7. We may be at wal-mart or down at John's house having a BBQ when a call for a house fire or an overturned vehicle with either ejections or extracation needed. In that sense, seconds count and wouldnt be the best time to get stuck behind grandma on her way to bingo Of course I'm not saying people who do run POV use them everytime they get a call. No traffic? Great, keep them off. Got a ricer that cant move out of its own way, click them on, move it and kill them. Then you can go about worrying on the specifics of the call such as whats the easiest route or is bunker gear needed. I've seen other people with more lights than a christmas tree. Yes it may be pretty, but is it needed? No...in fact it will probalby cause another accident because you know as soon as they light all 50,000 lights, its going to attract everyones attention when theyre supposed to be focusing on the road. Point being, dont symbolize me with the punks that do this because its cool. But in the end, I'd rather have it and not use it compared to not having it and needing it

 

I prefer just to get to the fire house quickly and safely without having to risk wrecking someone else by panicing them with lights and then once on scene save time by using training and skills to cut down on extrication time. If you cause a wreck on the way it completely defeats the purpose of what you do. Yes you will be coming from your house or wherever, thats every volunteer service. Leave the lights to professionals that earned the right to use them like the police instead of being some squirel who uses lights to feel important. Im pretty sure you can make most calls without them, all the other volunteers do.

 

And I will, like stated before. I would only use them *if needed*

 

Let me give you some background info. I am a volunteer fire lieutenant as well as an EMT. I am also a fulltime paid firefighter with another department. So you can save trying to tell me how this whole concept works.

I have lights in my POV. Why? Becuase I have a need to. I have a purpose when going on scene at a call. You on the other hand already stated you are PREPARING for the most basic of the basic training courses. Until you are certified in something, you have no need to get there so fast. I feel like I am talking to an explorer.

Here is what pretty much sums it up to me. Are you certified in anything? Is one of those certifications EVOC? If you answered no to either you have no business with lights in a POV.

 

Wouldn't care more if you were Obama himself....


I won't be going anywhere POV until im 18 actually. When I am signed-on, I will have 4 cert's under my belt. Then I will have a need to get there fast

See above. I WILL have lights in a POV, they will just never be used until I am active on the roster and I need them. Simple as that.

 

u have one black headlight and one chrome?

 

i work on some local highways. As of right now im on call. Accidents/ debris in the road/ animals in the road... anything i have to go.

Im certified in 3 things. Blood Born Pathagins/ Emergency First Aid/ Maitnance Of Traffic.

I have a set of strobes waiting to be installed in my truck, that i have decided to push back. If i really wanted to i could take my truck to a call, but im givin a truck while on call so whats the point? the only thing that it would come in handy when im backin up another employee.

The biggest reason why i havent put the strobes in is. As soon as i do i have a responciblitly to help back up if needed and gives me no reason not to beable to, DO I really want a truck on 44's going down to a accident?

 

If your actually working on a highway then I think thats a pretty good reason to have lights. As for the f/f thats not even a f/f I still dont think you need lights. But hey go ahead, use lights, make your self feel more important then you really are. You can get all the training you want but until your an actuall fire line officer I think its stupid. A officer can make a difference on a fire scene, you making it to the fire house or not really means nothing. What do they do when your at work or on vacation? I bet they are still getting out the door.

 

My department (as well as every other department in my county) allows warning lights (no sirens, unless you're a chief or asst. chief) in a POV and I choose to run them. If it wasn't worth the insurance and other costs associated with allowing members to run emergency traffic, I'm sure we wouldn't be allowed. But since we can run with warning lights, it's obviously important enough to the possible lives at stake that members are needed quickly and promptly.

Yes, I am certified in emergency vehicle operations. And yes, I believe anybody wishing to run warning lights needs to have a certification that teaches them proper driving techniques.

If your department doesn't allow lights, what is the sense in putting one down that does? Just because you do it one way does not make that way perfect and everybody should follow your SOP's.

I'm not defending anybody that believes that just because you're a member (or an aspiring member) you can have warning lights. I believe that it is a right and earned and it can be easily taken away.

Mickey

 

That would be one interesting response vehicle

 

VERY WELL SAID. You sure can tell the people who do this type of work daily and those who just dream about it.

 

yeah you know it. Ive offered my truck up for some equipment extractions, but not much more. If its needed then its there if not im not putting it on the road.

See the thing about our trucks is we arent runnin red and blues. we run white and amber lights. We normally dont even have them on till we get to a location then its mandatory to turn them on once you cross the white line.

I got a call out tonight, who would have thought that a mercedes would wrap around a light pole so nicely.

 

Well they werent kidding when they said "like a glove"

 

Its not that I disagree with using them just because I cant. I just dont like people who join the fire department and instantly have to have every little thing like lights. I mean atleast get a decent amount of training and earn the right for those types of things. Dont just join and instantly think your something that your really not.