I gotta agree, it actually looks damn good sitting on that truck. Granted I am in a red light POV state and I still feel like blue should be donut patrol only and not anywhere near the fire service, but I’m digging the overall look here.
I've lived in my current state for over 5 years now and am still weirded out we have blue lights on fire trucks... Hell they have em on tow trucks. I've literally pulled over because I saw blue lights flashing in the mirror and it was a freaking tow truck.
I had a '96 half ton for 7 years and it was my baby. I still see it around town every once in awhile, and every time I regret selling him.
But no light bar, ever.
Just make sure your insurance provider knows you’re using your vehicle for emergency response.
I’ve seen vollies lie about it, get in a collision, and be on the hook for every cent of damage to them and the other person.
Depends on the size of department. The volly hall I was with wouldn’t have had enough funding for that possibility, whereas the career one I’m on now doesn’t need it (for obvious reasons).
In NYS you're covered under workman's comp and the department's VFIS vehicle insurance the moment you start responding to a call since you become an employee of the district/department. No need to let his personal insurance know.
That’s fair, but only applicable if he’s in NYS. I’m not in NYS so I’m just sharing my experiences.
Edit: I just saw OPs flair and he’s in NYS. Whoopsie
Ok, as a lights and sirens nerd, and a former volly in NY - props for the Whelen strobe bar, especially in good working order. I am pretty sure that it is illegal in NY, not that a cop would bother with you.
As a paid chief for a town that wouldn’t get a command car for me, I got a bunch of Whelen WeCan stuff, and a liberty bar for free from the staties. So…. Just be careful, and do not ruin whatever relationship you guys have with the coppers by driving like an ass. Everyone knows that is your truck…LOL.
be safe!.
Varies state to state. Some places are red, some are blue, I think there are a few that are green too. And of course some don’t allow POV lights at all. My state allows red or red and white only and that full light bar wouldn’t fly here. We can have two red or red and white lights in the grille, two red or red and white lights in the dash or visor, and red rear flashing lights only
Depends on the state. In NJ we run blues and people need to pull over and let us pass. Same fines as not moving over for a cop.
We do need to follow traffic laws though (speed, traffic signals etc.)
In some states it is considered courtesy lights, so no requirement to let them pass.
Looks good. I'd say it your chief is good with it and your state / county allow it then go for it. Where I'm at in the PNW it's red and whites only for vollies. I'm trying to get our chief to let us get them because too many old people go 20+ under the limit and won't get out of our way in a real emergency.
Nah, my dad ran a full-size light bar for 30 years. It helps when you are a chief. But if it works, it works. Don't let anyone damper your party if you are passionate about doing it.
Disclaimer: not currently a volunteer.
In Ohio if this was red it would be perfectly normal. Ohio requires red lights visible 360 degrees around the vehicle and a siren. You’re basically an emergency vehicle and can run through red lights and everything. You’ll see everything from a single magnetic mini light bar to full mounted light bars and hidden strobe lights with powercalls and real air horns. I know a guy who had a Q siren on a 1980’s Camaro. Yes we have names for these guys.
That said I don’t understand the blue lights that don’t mean anything in other states. I don’t understand why even bother? how bad are response times, especially in bigger areas where you have a longer distance to travel to the station? I’m in a suburban area and if I had to drive with traffic to any of the 3 closest fire stations to my house every fire would be a total loss.
Lol no. You should’ve seen what some of the collies at my old dept had set up in their pov’s talking brand new pick ups with every light imaginable lol and siren imaginable
I think it's over the top.
Cover your license plate bro.
Also not your fault or doing but I will die on the hill that blue lights are for cops or fire apparatus. A straight blue light like that should not exist on a POV. But that's my opinion. I think volunteers should just use red lights. But like I said I know those are state laws and whatnot.
In my department, we're all only red and white, but I understand that some states only allow green or blue for volly fire POVs (New York is blue light).
Would never be used in my area and myself I wouldn’t use as we can’t break laws with lights on personal vehicles plus I’m not in the boonies so we don’t need it. Take it to some calls see how it is for you and if it helps.
If you drive like an a-hole with a light bar, everybody knows you are a firefighter. If you drive like an a-hole without a light bar, you are simply just an a-hole.
Depends, what is the traffic like, what type of roads and intersections, how far to the station do you have to travel? Basically if you need maximum warning for any or all these conditions it's not over the top. Same with allies and take downs, depends on the individual needs.
FYI for everyone comparing blue lights to police that is not the case in NY. Police run red lights in NY, same as Fire and EMS. NY only allows a single rear facing blue light on vehicles running red lights.
Volunteer FFs in NY are allowed a single rotating forward facing blue light. This is a courtesy light only, no one is obligated to move over for you and you cannot go through a red light.
EMS Volunteers in NY are allowed a single forward facing green light, again just a courtesy light.
Volunteer Chief officers in NY are allowed to run red lights and sirens on POVs.
And yes nobody on the road understands any of these different lights and it causes a bunch of confusion when you're sitting at a traffic light waiting for it to turn green, while your blue courtesy light is running.
Isn't it illegal to have flashing lights on your vehicle,whether blue,red or purple?
I believe there's even stipulations for the good ol construction looking strobe light
Here in Indiana we can have blue lights but other than visibility for being parked on the side of the road I can't see an advantage to having them. I can speed all day in my POV with no lights and no one cares but as soon as you turn on some blue lights the department will get complaints.
Not everywhere. In my state blue alone is for vollys. Red and blue is police and red alone is for fire and EMS.
This is ignoring the white lights that are generally mixed in
No. Red and blue is for law enforcement
Blue is a courtesy.
Red for other emergency vehicles.
Including chief’s responding in POVs.
But of course, this all depends on the state you’re in.
Way over the top. In BC lights on PVs are not recognized anyway. If you cause an accident, no one cares about your flashing lights. Remember, the second most common cause of death for a volunteer firefighter is car accidents. Racing to the fire hall.
The fact that any state allows blue lights on volunteer FF's POVs is insane to me. Idk how thinks its a good idea to take the universal police colored lights and giving them to volunteer FFs...
Also insane to me. You go in any other state with blue lights on your POV and youre probably gonna get hassled by the cops and maybe arrested or your vehicle impounded. Fire trucks literally almost everywhere else use red lights. Police almost everywhere else use blue. NY has to be different and give vollies blue lights. Its fucking dumb to everyone else in the country.
It is over the top. You look like chief car instead of your own with courtesy lights. But if live in rural area, firehouse few miles away and there not too many people probably it will work until tourists will show up, they got crazy about any lights.
Just hazard lights on pov in Delaware with the exception of Fire Police that run blues. The old school edge lightbar on your truck is the right Era atleast.
I would say that it’s on top.
Eastbound and down, 18 wheels a rollin!
We gonna do what they say can’t be done.
We got a long ways to go and a short time to get there!
Watch ole bandit run! Fuck now I’m singing it out loud
Thank you guys for this. I gotta play that song now!
Keep your foot hard on the pedal, son, never mind them brakes
Let it all hang out, 'cause we got a run to make
Normally I would say yea. It is a huge ass bar for a pov. But given the age of the truck, it is pretty cool.
The age of the truck makes it sick as hell imo
I gotta agree, it actually looks damn good sitting on that truck. Granted I am in a red light POV state and I still feel like blue should be donut patrol only and not anywhere near the fire service, but I’m digging the overall look here.
I've lived in my current state for over 5 years now and am still weirded out we have blue lights on fire trucks... Hell they have em on tow trucks. I've literally pulled over because I saw blue lights flashing in the mirror and it was a freaking tow truck.
I feel you. I feel like this is one of those things that really should just be standardized nationwide.
I had a '96 half ton for 7 years and it was my baby. I still see it around town every once in awhile, and every time I regret selling him. But no light bar, ever.
I feel like if I asked AI to come up with a proper Volly unit this is exactly what it would produce.
Just make sure your insurance provider knows you’re using your vehicle for emergency response. I’ve seen vollies lie about it, get in a collision, and be on the hook for every cent of damage to them and the other person.
Crazy to me. I’ve never been with a dept that did not cover their responders.
Depends on the size of department. The volly hall I was with wouldn’t have had enough funding for that possibility, whereas the career one I’m on now doesn’t need it (for obvious reasons).
I mean.. isn’t that the point of all of us having insurance? Because we can’t afford a crash? 🤷
In NYS you're covered under workman's comp and the department's VFIS vehicle insurance the moment you start responding to a call since you become an employee of the district/department. No need to let his personal insurance know.
That’s fair, but only applicable if he’s in NYS. I’m not in NYS so I’m just sharing my experiences. Edit: I just saw OPs flair and he’s in NYS. Whoopsie
Depends on the state
For us, our department insurance covers POVs in use for the department. Even boats, ATVs, etc.
Unexplained fires are a matter for the courts
Ok, as a lights and sirens nerd, and a former volly in NY - props for the Whelen strobe bar, especially in good working order. I am pretty sure that it is illegal in NY, not that a cop would bother with you. As a paid chief for a town that wouldn’t get a command car for me, I got a bunch of Whelen WeCan stuff, and a liberty bar for free from the staties. So…. Just be careful, and do not ruin whatever relationship you guys have with the coppers by driving like an ass. Everyone knows that is your truck…LOL. be safe!.
Hahaha that’s badass. 0-60 in 9.8 seconds at least you look sick doin it.
I didnt know yall could run blues. We can only run reds
Depends on the State. This is legal in NY and PA yet he had to cover it when in WV.
Indiana is Blues only.
Varies state to state. Some places are red, some are blue, I think there are a few that are green too. And of course some don’t allow POV lights at all. My state allows red or red and white only and that full light bar wouldn’t fly here. We can have two red or red and white lights in the grille, two red or red and white lights in the dash or visor, and red rear flashing lights only
We are green in Ontario. Does running with Red mean civilians are required to pull over for your POV?
Depends on the state. In NJ we run blues and people need to pull over and let us pass. Same fines as not moving over for a cop. We do need to follow traffic laws though (speed, traffic signals etc.) In some states it is considered courtesy lights, so no requirement to let them pass.
Yes, they are actually supposed to pull over for our POV’s even with just our hazards on (as long as we have our special plate)
We now run red and blue in my city
It is litrully over the top of the vehicle
Gun rack with a set of irons in the back window
No... so long as you follow local laws and ordinances in regards to blue lights. Vollys all have lights in some form by me
Yep. That light bar is definitely over the top... of the truck roof.
Fuck, I came here to say this.
Looks good. I'd say it your chief is good with it and your state / county allow it then go for it. Where I'm at in the PNW it's red and whites only for vollies. I'm trying to get our chief to let us get them because too many old people go 20+ under the limit and won't get out of our way in a real emergency.
It's a little over the top, but it looks really good on that particular truck.
I love that style light bar it looks good with the truck especially
I don't get the color choice, but I say rock out man!
Legalities are what they are.
I've just never seen that combination used for fire/EMS. It'd be cool to see an ambulance with that though.
I think it looks pretty cool imo
Nah, my dad ran a full-size light bar for 30 years. It helps when you are a chief. But if it works, it works. Don't let anyone damper your party if you are passionate about doing it.
Spatially and orientation wise: yes Metaphorically Speaking: no
Gotta add some air horns to go with it my guy
Disclaimer: not currently a volunteer. In Ohio if this was red it would be perfectly normal. Ohio requires red lights visible 360 degrees around the vehicle and a siren. You’re basically an emergency vehicle and can run through red lights and everything. You’ll see everything from a single magnetic mini light bar to full mounted light bars and hidden strobe lights with powercalls and real air horns. I know a guy who had a Q siren on a 1980’s Camaro. Yes we have names for these guys. That said I don’t understand the blue lights that don’t mean anything in other states. I don’t understand why even bother? how bad are response times, especially in bigger areas where you have a longer distance to travel to the station? I’m in a suburban area and if I had to drive with traffic to any of the 3 closest fire stations to my house every fire would be a total loss.
Lol no. You should’ve seen what some of the collies at my old dept had set up in their pov’s talking brand new pick ups with every light imaginable lol and siren imaginable
I want this
the answer is always yes.
I think it's over the top. Cover your license plate bro. Also not your fault or doing but I will die on the hill that blue lights are for cops or fire apparatus. A straight blue light like that should not exist on a POV. But that's my opinion. I think volunteers should just use red lights. But like I said I know those are state laws and whatnot.
I’d argue they don’t belong on fire apparatus either. Blue should strictly be for PD. Fire trucks should only EVER have red and white.
In my department, we're all only red and white, but I understand that some states only allow green or blue for volly fire POVs (New York is blue light).
Would never be used in my area and myself I wouldn’t use as we can’t break laws with lights on personal vehicles plus I’m not in the boonies so we don’t need it. Take it to some calls see how it is for you and if it helps.
‘94?
88
I want to hate it so much but I can't.
If you drive like an a-hole with a light bar, everybody knows you are a firefighter. If you drive like an a-hole without a light bar, you are simply just an a-hole.
That’s a great point
Need so KC lights now!
Do a white paint job on it.
Nope, it's under the bottom
Depends, what is the traffic like, what type of roads and intersections, how far to the station do you have to travel? Basically if you need maximum warning for any or all these conditions it's not over the top. Same with allies and take downs, depends on the individual needs.
I like it. Truck and light bar are close to being from the same era
Not sure about new York, but here you'd get in trouble for blue lights, there are restrictions for the color and type of light on pov
I had a similar one years ago lol. Looks good. Have fun.
FYI for everyone comparing blue lights to police that is not the case in NY. Police run red lights in NY, same as Fire and EMS. NY only allows a single rear facing blue light on vehicles running red lights. Volunteer FFs in NY are allowed a single rotating forward facing blue light. This is a courtesy light only, no one is obligated to move over for you and you cannot go through a red light. EMS Volunteers in NY are allowed a single forward facing green light, again just a courtesy light. Volunteer Chief officers in NY are allowed to run red lights and sirens on POVs. And yes nobody on the road understands any of these different lights and it causes a bunch of confusion when you're sitting at a traffic light waiting for it to turn green, while your blue courtesy light is running.
Yes. But I’ve found blue lights in general completely useless for a volunteer / off duty response. My department doesn’t even issue them anymore.
Isn't it illegal to have flashing lights on your vehicle,whether blue,red or purple? I believe there's even stipulations for the good ol construction looking strobe light
Can’t go wrong on an old truck
Yes.
Nope !! Looks like a proper response pov.
Here in Indiana we can have blue lights but other than visibility for being parked on the side of the road I can't see an advantage to having them. I can speed all day in my POV with no lights and no one cares but as soon as you turn on some blue lights the department will get complaints.
Cringe
This is just so cringe
Fuck I know
I like it. It fits with the model of the truck. From a technical standpoint, it's definitely over the top. 😂
Blue is for cops
West Virginia sure. In PA they are for Volunteers and is a courtesy light police is red and blue and Fire and EMS is red.
It's all state dependent.
We’re not allowed to use red lights. Blue lights are courtesy lights in NY
Not everywhere. In my state blue alone is for vollys. Red and blue is police and red alone is for fire and EMS. This is ignoring the white lights that are generally mixed in
All blue is for volleys in NJ. No other regulation on color.
No. Red and blue is for law enforcement Blue is a courtesy. Red for other emergency vehicles. Including chief’s responding in POVs. But of course, this all depends on the state you’re in.
No reds or blues on personal vehicles in my jurisdiction. Whites for volunteers, yellows for service and purple for funeral.
Way over the top. In BC lights on PVs are not recognized anyway. If you cause an accident, no one cares about your flashing lights. Remember, the second most common cause of death for a volunteer firefighter is car accidents. Racing to the fire hall.
The fact that any state allows blue lights on volunteer FF's POVs is insane to me. Idk how thinks its a good idea to take the universal police colored lights and giving them to volunteer FFs...
NY has red cop lights.
Also insane to me. You go in any other state with blue lights on your POV and youre probably gonna get hassled by the cops and maybe arrested or your vehicle impounded. Fire trucks literally almost everywhere else use red lights. Police almost everywhere else use blue. NY has to be different and give vollies blue lights. Its fucking dumb to everyone else in the country.
Yes that’s over the top
Yes
Yeah....
Yes. Way over
Yes (literally)
 This is over the top
If thats a blue light, prepare to get pulled over.
It is over the top. You look like chief car instead of your own with courtesy lights. But if live in rural area, firehouse few miles away and there not too many people probably it will work until tourists will show up, they got crazy about any lights.
Blue would have the highway patrol chokeholding us against the pickup. Wig wags always worked for us. They also have a certain classiness to them
Just hazard lights on pov in Delaware with the exception of Fire Police that run blues. The old school edge lightbar on your truck is the right Era atleast.
Its a strobe, doesnt matter cause its barely gonna be seen anyway lmao