Research and Development Information Note No. 6
Prepared by: Bruce Janes
Rangiora Regional Fire Depot
Date: September 2004
For: Canterbury Fire Team
Cc:
DOC (NZ) Fire Personnel
Emergency Vehicles Specifications and Use
Purpose:
To assist managers decision making process regarding operating emergency
vehicles (under lights and siren)
Rural Fire Authorities must approve the vehicles to be used as Emergency
Vehicles. (Traffic Regulations, 1976, sec. 67)
Managers must approve the drivers of Emergency Vehicles
Findings:
The 1962 Transport Act and Regulations plus personal communications with
the LTSA make it quite clear what an emergency vehicle is, and what a driver
is allowed to do with that vehicle when responding to a (Fire) emergency.
Emergency Vehicle specifications
An emergency vehicle must have the following:
1. Red flashing light(s) on top of vehicle and visible from all directions
2. A siren or warning device audible from not less than 100m
3. Approved identification signage (eg. DOC signage on sides and “Rural
Fire” in red reflective tape lettering on all 4 sides)
4. Two red alternately flashing lights in the front at about grill height
5. Be approved by the Rural Fire Authority as an Emergency Vehicle.
( see form EM 1 below )
An emergency vehicle may have the following:
1. Alternatively flashing headlights
2. Have reflective Tape on the vehicle, it is recommended that if Red is
used on the front it be non reflective. For guidelines see „Bright Ideas‟ –
Heavy Vehicle visibility Code of Practice, Land Transport Safety
Authority, (LTSA) 2004.
Emergency Vehicle Drivers
A driver of an emergency vehicle must obey the road code for all general
driving situations. Examples are;
1. only travel at 80 km/hr when towing a trailer
2. not exceed 20 km/hr when passing School Buses
3. not exceed 15 km/hr crossing uncontrolled railway crossings
4. not exceed 20 km/hr passing an accident scene
5. obey roadwork‟s signs
- and so on as per the road code…..
A driver of an emergency vehicle may:
1. Use in their defence the need to exceed the speed limit if on urgent
“brigade service” (but not to exceed 30km/hr over posted speed limit for
light vehicles, and for Heavy Vehicles not over 110 km/hr on the open
road or 20km/hr over posted limits elsewhere)
Note: the NZ Fire Service (NZFS) use + 25Km/hr as their benchmark.
2. Use lights and siren to go through a controlled intersection having first
slowed to 10km/hr before entering the intersection to see if it is safe to
proceed, and then not exceed 20km/hr as they cross it.
Notes for Drivers:
Exceeding the speed limit while on “brigade service” is only a defence. If a
driver were careless or dangerous while doing so they could still be charged
When travelling in built up areas, the siren is to be used with discretion (esp.
between 10pm and 7 am), and when passing schools and animals. Note that
the Ambulance Service SOP has „siren to be used at all times within Urban
Areas during the hours of 7 am to 10 pm.
It is recommended that all drivers hold unit Standard 3267 „ Drive Fire and
Rescue Vehicles in Emergency Situations.‟
Other.
There is no stipulation on the colour of the vehicle. Fire and Ambulance
services use very tight and exact SOP vehicle specifications - but this simply
their SOP for consistency – not law.
It is clear that we must meet the whole specification or not at all. (i.e. not just
have a red light on top of any old vehicle. The single magnetic Red Lights
used by some staff can only be used on a PARKED vehicle)
Not all Fires require such haste that lights and siren are used all the time.
It is recommended that Areas have a „Response Urgency Rating‟ that
indicates wether in fact Lights and Siren need to be used for a given situation.
This is weighed up by the Fire response coordinator at the time depending on
the fire weather and values at stake. The operator of the Emergency vehicle
should also prompt their base for a level of urgency if they are not told at time
of deployment
Discussion:
The above came about after:
1. A traffic officer queried a staff member about having a red light on their
vehicle but not meeting the rest of the specifications, and the need to
be entirely compliant with those specifications, or not at all.
2. North Canterbury staff and the Canterbury High Country Fire Team
having trouble getting through heavy urban traffic in and around
Christchurch on their way to fires.
3. There was / is a need for hazard and warning lights with our vehicles
within the urban interface, and when unable to get a vehicle off a road
Conservators / Area managers need to weigh up the pro‟s and con‟s of their
own situation with regard response times, amount of Urban zones to travel
through, values at risk, risks to staff, and the cost of setting up vehicles
properly. (in excess of $1500 )
Canterbury‟s approach ( as an example of application of the above) has been
to meet all legal specifications with regard the vehicle, but restrict the
operational use of these vehicles as follows:
1. Only designated drivers to use these vehicles in the emergency
response mode (exceeding speed limit, use of siren )
2. These drivers to hold Unit Standard 3267
3. It is recommended that these drivers have attended an Anti-skid course
4. Use of vehicle in Emergency Mode restricted strictly to Life and
Property emergencies.
Appendix 1.
Flashing Lights and Beacon specifications from Rule 32005 released
2/2005 (LTSA)
Flashing Lights
3.4 (1) Allows Emergency Vehicles to have alternatively flashing headlights as long as
they flash at a frequency of 1-2 hertz and there is a device in the cab to indicate to the
driver that they are activated.
Comment: I would suggest an illuminated toggle switch on the same panel as the Beacons
and the Siren controls so that all those are in one place. Speaking to the Auto Electricians
here that work on the police vehicles, they think the writers of the rule may have got the hertz
thing wrong as 1-2 hertz means 1-2 flashes a second which would blow the headlight bulb(s).
They set them at 1 flash a second alternately so the bulbs don‟t blow.
Beacons - a flashing or revolving beam of light. (Red, in our case as emergency service
providers)
Section II. (1). Beacons must be located to provide maximum visibility to all road users
Emission of light is to be parallel to the ground
Frequency is to be 1- 2 hertz
Must not dazzle other road users
II. (2) Emergency vehicles are allowed 1 or more Red beacons, and 1 or more
white forward facing lights.
Comment: All reputable beacons generally meet these specs. II.2 lines up with our spec. with
the lights to be visible from 360 deg. meaning we have 2 on Appliances
( fore and aft) and 1 on utes etc and the 1 or more white lights to the front comes from, or
allows us, to have either the alternatively flashing (white) grill lights, or the flashing headlights
like the Police / Urban Brigades / Ambulance.
Sources.
1962 Land transport Act – Part 5 sec 53c
1976 Traffic Regulations. – Part 2 sec. 9 (5)
Part 7 sec. 67 and 69
NZFS Emergency Response Driver SOP
Unit Std. 3267 Drive Fire and Rescue Vehicles in Emergencies
Reviewed and approved by John Gregg and Barry Crocker LTSA, ChCh. on
clarification of Regulations + personal comments.
Order of St John, Duty Manager, ChCh., personal comments 14/8/03
EM 1
Approval for the use of Department vehicles as Emergency Vehicles
Pursuant to the 1976 Traffic Regulations, section 67, the following vehicles
are approved for use as Emergency vehicles to operate under lights and
siren.
Vehicle
Registration
Name…..
Conservator - Principal Rural Fire Officer
…………………… Conservancy
Dated:
Location