| With the change in emergency vehicle lighting to LEDs, there are increasing concerns about the increasing intensity and the risks to emergency responders caused by blinding and distracting effects on drivers and others in the area. This report details the history of how the current fire apparatus lighting standards were developed, summarizes the last 20 years of research on emergency lighting, and has the results of a study done in May 2019 specifically addressing what changes should be made to fire apparatus lighting standards in response to the change to LED lighting. |
| Some fire apparatus operators shut many of their lights off. Some leave all lights on and then add floodlights, so we can see at night. Other places have fire vehicle lighting that's just a blur-and really hard for drivers to figure out. Regardless, it's a mixed message of confusing on scene emergency lighting that requires a clearer look. |
| Let's step back at take a look at the situation, all to often we blame the motorist for not slowing down and moving over for fire apparatus working on the roadway. For many years we have been adding lights to our existing arrays and in the process, we are confusing many motorists as they approach the accident scene. When motorists are meet with many multicolored revolving lights and white headlights directed directly at them as they converge on the accident scene it makes it extremely difficult to know what is going on and where to drive as they converge on the scene. Less lighting or less intensity with existing lights and no headlights would be a big improvement in the response from the motoring public. We also need to deploy a better system of advanced warning for approaching traffic. |
| Read or download the "Fire Apparatus Emergency Lighting Study Report" |
