Volunteer firefighters/rescue workers, personal vehicles

[sebberry]

In BC, are volunteer firefighters and rescue workers permitted to install emergency lighting on their personal vehicles which they use to respond to emergencies?

[sho_bc]

http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bcl...eside/26_58_01

Flashing lamps
4.28 (1) Avehicle on a highway may only be equipped with lamps that are capable of displaying flashes of light if

(a) the lamps are operated in accordance with this Division, or
(b) the director has given written permission and the lamps are lighted in accordance with the conditions specified by the director.
(2) Red, white or amber flashing lamps may be used on the following vehicles:
(a) a fire department vehicle driven by a member of the fire department in the discharge of the member's duties;
(b) an official vehicle driven by a peace officer, constable or member of the police branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the discharge of the officer's duties;
(c) an ambulance, as defined in the Health Emergency Act, if the ambulance is responding to an emergency call or transporting a patient and it is essential for the ambulance to gain the right of way;
(d) a bus described in section 169.1 (4) (a) or (b) of the Act if the flashes of light are emitted
(i) from the centre and right side clearance lights at the rear of the bus, and
(ii) only when the bus is stopped, standing or parked at a bus stop.
(3) Only those vehicles described in subsection (2) may be equipped with a system which alternately flashes the headlamps of the vehicle.
(4) A school bus may be equipped with alternately flashing red lamps and alternately flashing amber lamps of a type approved by the director.
(5) Two amber flashing lamps may be illuminated on the following vehicles:
(a) a tow car while attending a vehicle being connected to or disconnected from the tow car, if the lamps are mounted within the maximum allowable vehicle height of 4.15 m and as far forward as the rear of the cab;
(b) a tow car when towing a vehicle which projects beyond the width of the lane in which it is being towed;
(c) snow removal equipment, sand spreading equipment or other highway maintenance equipment being used on a highway during highway maintenance or construction;
(d) the roof of a pilot car as specified in Division 8 of the Commercial Transport Regulations and illuminated only while escorting an oversize vehicle or load.
(6) A vehicle that under the Commercial Transport Act is an oversize vehicle or is a vehicle used to transport oversized loads may be equipped with and operate flashing amber lamps in accordance with a permit issued under the Commercial Transport Act.
(7) Turn signals, or side-marker lamps used in conjunction with turn signals, may be used as warning lights by a slow moving vehicle as described in Division 7B or as warning lights whenever a vehicle is disabled on a highway.
(8) Any of the following officers may drive an official vehicle equipped with blue flashing lights and illuminate them in the discharge of the officer's duties:
(a) a member of a municipal police force;
(b) a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police;
(c) a member of the police branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces;
(d) a member of the Conservation Officer Service as described in section 106 of the Environmental Management Act;
(e) a person authorized to exercise the powers and duties of a constable or peace officer for purposes set out in section 1 of the Inspectors Authorization Regulation, B.C. Reg. 372/92;
(f) a park ranger appointed under section 4 (2) of the Park Act;
(g) a person employed in the Ministry of Forests and Range who is appointed as a special constable under section 9 of the Police Act.
[en. B.C. Reg. 476/98, s. 2; am. B.C. Regs. 91/99, s. 1 (b); 135/2003, ss. 1 and 3; 90/2008.]

Proper practice would involve obtaining authorization from the Director, as they would be personal vehicles, not department vehicles. The average employee would not need the equipment in their personal vehicles as the likelihood of being called to a scene from home is low. If someone is on call, they would commonly be given access to a department vehicle that is properly equipped.

I can imagine the line gets a lot more blurry in smaller and more rural areas with communities depending on priority responses from volunteer fire departments/paramedics. I know that in smaller communities, police officers will live a stone's throw from the detachment and/or drive police cars home when on call.

[Quicksilver]

The guy who is the chief, or captain or whatever of the Search and Rescue here in town has flashing red lights and a siren on his personal truck. He uses them when responding from his house, or work to the station to pick up the rescue truck. Here, instead of the fire department, search and rescue show up at accident scenes as they are the ones with the jaws and other extrication and life saving equipment. They even drive the ambulances from time to time as well.

And the police take the cruisers home when they are on call as well.

[skidmark]

Vehicles not shown in the list can use lights and siren under permit.