From: cnovy@deja-vu.aiss.uiuc.edu (Chris Novy)
Subject: Blue light blues
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Distribution: usa
Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1992 16:30:50 GMT


Several weeks ago I posted a message about one of our volunteer
firefighters being arrested for pulling over a cop.  If you recall,
the firefighter was highly intoxicated, came up behind a slow-moving
vehicle and turned on his blue light.  As it turned out, the driver
of the slow vehicle was an off-duty cop.  The firefighter was arrested
and charged with a felony use of an oscilating light, unlawful detention,
and driving under the influence.  He has since been removed from the fire
department.  Well last night was our township board meeting.  At the
meeting the Township Supervisor (who is also the Chair of the board)
said he wanted to ban the use of blue lights forever.  He cited the
incident I had several years ago where I stopped to talk with a lady
about what blue lights mean, and cited the more recent drunk fire-
fighter incident as reasons to eliminate the use of lights.  He said
they cause nothing but problems.  Several of the board members argued
against him --as did a number of firefighters-- that blue lights had
very little to do with the drunk incident.  Rather, it was a case of
alcohol impairment.  The conversation became very heated and eventually
a motion was brought up by one of the firefighters to limit our use of
the lights to within 1/2 mile of the incident and to within 1/2 mile
of the fire station (for those responding to get an engine).  The motion
passed 2 against, 3 in favor.  A number of us were shocked over this
ruling.  To us, the board had not presented a logical case for limiting
our use of the lights.  The Chair had cited safety reasons -saying
that blue lights make firefighters drive recklessly-- but would not/
could not demonstrate how this alleged fact had anything to do with
the matter at hand --a drunk firefighter miusing a blue light.  Several
of the board members told us firefighters "we're elected officials and
need to cover our butts".  Well, what's done is done.  We really don't
have any recourse here other than bringing it up for another vote at a
future board meeting.  Most of the firefighters I've talked to plan to   
go on using their lights as before and will take their chances.  They believe
the lights are beneficial at times and that limiting our use of them to
1/2 mile of the incident is unreasonable. It became very clear last night
that the Chair had made his mind up and that no arguement would change
his mind. We all agreed that we were lucky not to lose the lights altogether. 

I'm curious, does anyone know of any research pro or con that relates to
volunteers and the use of lights.  Specifically, I'm interested in finding
out about accident rates, liability issues, and code vs. non-code driving
behavior.  Any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.  If I can't get
the Chair to change his mind at least I hope to make him look like an idiot
by presenting him with some facts.              ..Chris..

Chris Novy
Southern Illinois University
Makanda Twp. VFD

Chris@skywarn.c-lib.siu.edu   or  cnovy@deja-vu.aiss.uiuc.edu