Just wondering if there are any other TL owners out there that are firefighters, volunteer or paid. If so, where located and have you done anything with your car in terms of emergency lighting?

 

14 years paid firefighter(truck drviver, truck co. 10) Washington, DC. Have not done anything with my 2002 TL-s/nav.

 

Not myself, but my father is the Assistant Fire Marshall in Montgomery County, MD. He runs the fire investigations/bomb squad office for the county.

 

KOOL!!!

 

Wow... Fellow WHACKERS... LOL (Where do you keep your Minitor pager at in the TL as another thread???

I've been a volunteer FF/EMT for 10+ years now, just south of Pittsburgh.

I've seen it all, from plane crashes to delivering babies... I think of my TL as payment for being shot at, swung at, cursed at, etc... all those times!

BUT... You WONT be seeing my blue light in the TL!!! I'll take my time getting to the station in the NICE car. Even in my 3 Accords, I would only HOLD my strobe (in one hand and drive with the other) for the short ride to the station.

However, adding wig wags or some very subtle lights in grill or possibly under the visor would be a possibility. (Although a full, tricked out police car would be a sight to be seen!)

Turn and burn!!!

 

I've been a volunteer firefighter, evoc instructor, and a bunch of other cool stuff during my 37 years in the FD. I'm also a retired Fire/EMS dispatcher. I use my single strobe to give me some sort of break in traffic while responding.

 

Ex cop here. Looking to install strobes in the four ways. Can't get away from the toys

 

I actually own my own business which sells emergency lighting and warning products and I can't seem to decide whether or not to put any lights in the TL other than the LED I have on the dash. Any suggestions?

 

I'm full time and wouldn't advise it. Either make them hidden (wig wag) or easily removable when not on call. You'll be made fun of by more people than you think.

ps- don't ever use a blue light! Old school jakes refuse to accept having that blue light on our piece. ( We actually just got a new pump and replaced the blue lens with a red one!)

There's my 2 cents. I'm not ripping on call firefighters, just trying to help you guys not look too much of a spark.

-Chad

 

I live on Long Island, NY where almost all but two fire departments are volunteer, so everyone around here has their personal vehicles decked out, I had a great set-up in my Denali before I got rid of it. But of course everything we do is undercover and cannot be seen unless in use.

 

For those who had or have emergency lighting on their private vehicles... don't you have to get that approved by the department and/or city to be legal? I mean in CA I think it's illegal to have any kind of flashing light on your car even if it's amber besides your hazards. Even if you change their timing between blinks it's illegal.

 

Ya I have never heard of this before, being legal at least... If I saw an Acura TL screamin down the street with lights goin off everywhere, I would think that maybe my local law enforcement started using imports? haha

No there has to be some rule, cuz I had a friend who put those snake eye windshield washers on his subaru and got pulled over and got a 'fix it' ticket. Here in Utah you cant have any red or blue lights on your car, even if they are solid and not blinking, exept your brake lights and rear turn signals. People here get pulled over here all the time

SO it would seem to me that for someone to jsut deck out thier car for Emergency response would have to be permitted... otherwise I'd be the first to get the tricks on my car to go screamin past people!!

 

Here in NY, we have a law stating that volunteer firefighters can place blue lights in their cars to be used while responding on calls. Our fire departments issue us ID cards with the permission listed on the back. To use red lights you would need the same type of approval and is sometimes issued. As far as the extra lights ie: hide-a-ways in the corner lights, that is done without approval but we are never bothered by the police, we have good relations with them and I have never had a problem.

 

In PA at least... The only EVOC training needed is if you are operating the emergency vehicles themselves... Unless things have changed, noone trains you on how to drive your car to the station for a call. (Crazy huh?!) Firemen are only allowed to use Blue lights, not red... UNLESS... You're a chief/asst chief, etc in which case Red is OK from what I understand. (No can mix though! Only RED OR BLUE, not both, even for chiefs) As far as I know in PA, although the wig-wags are cool, I don't think they are technically legal for FF's.

I've seen some vehicles that are definately over the top, but typically the firemen (in my case as well) are friends with a good bit of the local law enforcement and I am sure some of those things are overlooked. It is safe to assume that when people are not local, they do not use their lights, therefore they would not attract non-local law enforcement attention.

I'm not sure where I heard this but PA has more volunteer firemen than any other state and it is NOT uncommon to see all makes and models of vehicles with Blue lights zooming here or there. Many of my friends have actual light bars on their vehicles. (all blue) Some have internal small strobes (which is what I had on my dash. Only put on when I needed it.)

Luckily, after about a year the blue light didn't really do it for me... And for years, as I live only a mile from the station, I take my time and get there before anyone else is there anyways...

 

Yeah, you are not allowed to combine red/blue in the front, however, you can have blue in the front of your vehicle and red in the back. This also varies from county to county and by fire department, we all have our own rules.

 

I dont think i have EVER seen a car with just a blue light going around. I know for sure I have never seen an import. I think here where I live they aren't allowed to do that at all...

 

I will take and post a picture of my TL with the blue light.

 

Just announced - The all new Acura "Aerial" TL. For all your firefighting needs! This ride also doubles as an incredible babe magnet. So if you're on your way to a three-alarm, or just down to the local grocer for some Jalapeno peppers, this is the car for you.

Merry Christmas from Acura!

 

Dude that's just wrong!!

In Delaware only Engineer or Ambulance Captain can have blues on their personal vehicles and only to respond to the station, Fire Police can have blues and can respond directly to the scene. Chief and Assistant usually have company owned and go first response to the scene

 

Nice Rig, HA.

 

Full time DOD Firefighter in Atlanta area. Dont go on duty till I get to work so I take my time (50miles in Atlanta traffic) to get to the station. Of course the TL is the wifes car so I would not be allowed to put lights in it anyway I get to drive a beater T-bird to and from work, and on nice days one of my stangs.

 

I take my TL in when I work my 24 hour shift, but wouldn't want to respond with it. What if they tell you to respond straight to the fire and not the station first? You'll ruin the interior of your car afterwards. It will stink like the fire. You know, that smell that stays in your hair and your skin for about a week (not to mention your lungs from overhauling).

I got called in for a 5 alarm last year and had to grab my gear from the station and go to the scene. Afterwards I just left my car parked on the side street and rode back on the piece.


At the very least you guys should buy seat covers and those orange-smelling hand cleaning wipes, so you don't ruin your car. Or, just wait until you take a shower at the station and have someone give you a ride back to your car after you have changed.

-Chad

 

I would never take the TL to the scene, I did for a time being have my spare gear in the trunk but I rarely used it and I have since removed it. I only have the one light in the TL because when I am driving it on the weekend if there is a call I can respond, however, I drive my SUV the rest of the time and that is outfitted. I'd agree on not getting back into the car after a job, it could smell for weeks in there.

 

I also keep an extra set of bunker gear in the trunk, just in case, although it is rarely used.... And the wife HATES that smell that comes out of my hair for a week after those structure fires... Personally... I LOVE IT.

 

Yeah, my girlfriend loves the smell of it, she gets extra frisky!

 

(LOVE THAT ONE.... JUST NEEDED SOMEWHERE TO USE IT! NO DISRESPECT MEANT!!!!)