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How Are Green Flashing Lights Different From Fire Truck Lights?
How Are Green Flashing Lights Different From Fire Truck Lights?
Emergency services are an integral and vital part of the modern world. Be it the police, EMT services or the fire fighting department, the personnel are always expected to make it to the emergency scene as fast as possible. The firefighters in particular need to rush to the site of the fire, for every second is valuable. The designated fire trucks use lights and sirens to alert the traffic of their presence. But many civilians don’t know about another type of light that is also connected to firefighting, flashing green lights.
The major difference between this and the fire truck lights will be discussed here.
What is the meaning of green lights?
The firefighters who are stationed in the fire station get geared up and board the trucks in a matter of seconds. Using red strobe lights and a loud siren, the fire trucks rush past traffic, as other vehicles are obligated to give way to them.
However, in some scenarios, mostly in rural and semi-urban areas, fire-fighting volunteers are assigned to provide extra assistance in case of an emergency. Once the fire truck has left the station, these volunteers need to go to the scene of the fire in their personal vehicles. To notify oncoming traffic that they are emergency responders, the personnel are equipped with green flashing lights in their vehicles. Unlike the fire trucks, these vehicles are not fitted with sirens or other indicators.
Why was the green light conceptualized?
The concept of volunteer firefighters and green flashing lights was devised by the Ministry of Transportation in 1994 by amending the Highway Traffic Act, giving volunteer firefighters access to these lights that are ultimately controlled by the Fire Chief.
The green lights were devised out of sheer necessity. Prior to this system, firefighters on personal vehicles could not adequately notify the traffic of their status, and as a result, they lost precious time to reach the scene of the fire. Ultimately, these lights were created and dispatched to promptly alert the public of their presence on the road, so that they can be given equal priority as a fire truck.
Hence, the next time you come across a vehicle with flashing green lights, be sure to give way to them as they might be volunteer firefighters rushing to save precious lives.
Set up in 2007, Darta Enterprises is a proud, family-owned custom vehicle outfitting company that primarily serves the police, EMT and the fire department. We have formerly worked with The York Regional Police, Vaughn Fire, City of Brampton and many more prestigious institutions. To know more about our services or to book a consultation, call us today.
