Purpose:

To establish procedures and criteria for the use of warning devices on department vehicles.

Policy:

Virginia Vehicle Code authorizes the use of warning lights and sirens on emergency vehicles during response to emergency situations. Emergency situations are defined as those situations where life and/or property are directly endangered.

Emergency Operations:

Emergency Vehicles: Shall be operated on an emergency basis only when all warning lights are in continuous operation.

Warning Lights: Warning lights on department apparatus shall be kept in operation while responding to calls or when necessary while working at emergencies. The only exception to this rule is calls to Ski Patrol from station one. Warning lights may also be used during transport of a patient to a local hospital or landing zone at the discretion of the attendant in charge.

Siren: The siren shall be operated as needed when utilizing any of an emergency vehicle’s seven (7) exemptions listed in the Virginia State Code.

When two or more emergency vehicles are responding to an incident with the same direction of travel, separate siren patterns should be used.

Headlights: Apparatus headlights shall be kept in operation during all emergency responses day or night. It is preferred that headlights be turned off while working highway incidents at night.

Air Horn: May be used in conjunction with the siren. The air horn is not to be used in a manner which will exclude the siren.

White Strobe Lights: Shall not be left on at accident scenes at night.

Non-Emergency Operation:

Vehicles responding to non-emergency type incidents, such as public assists, shall not use warning lights or siren, and should not exceed posted speed limits.

During station tours, warning lights and sirens can be used as part of the demonstrations as long as it is determined to be safe and not confusing to adjacent motorists and citizens.

When the apparatus is parked on a public street, the four-way amber flashers may be utilized to warn passing motorists of its presence.

Warning lights and/or siren will not be used when returning to the station from incidents.

Warning lights and/or siren will not be used intermittently to clear intersections.

At no point while operating an emergency vehicle in non-emergency mode will the headlights be flashed at slow-moving traffic.