An Act Regarding the Use of Lights and Sirens on Personal Vehicles Used by Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services Personnel
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0493
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: GLYNN
Amends: 29-A MRSA §2054

Legislative Document 
No. 493 
H.P.382 
House of Representatives, February 4,2003 
An Act Regarding the Use of Lights and Sirens on Personal Vehicles 
Used by Volunteer Firefighters and Emergency Medical Services 
Personnel 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative GLYNN of South Portland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
!rl~ 
/h.11lu£~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
360, 
(18 ) 
Sec. 1. 29-A MRS A §2054. sub-§I, 1fB, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
§S, is further amended by amending subparagraphs (17) and 
to read: 
(17) 
A vehicle operated by a qualified deputy sheriff 
or 
other 
qualified 
individual 
to 
perform 
court 
security-related functions and services as authorized 
by the State Court Administrator pursuant to Title 4, 
section 17, subsection IS; SF 
(18) 
A 
Federal 
Government 
vehicle 
operated 
by 
a 
federal law enforcement officerT~ 
Sec. 2. 29-A MRS A §2054. sub-§I, 1JB, as amended by PL 2001, c. 
360, §S, is further amended by enacting subparagraphs (19) and 
(20) to read: 
(19) 
A personal vehicle operated by an active member 
of a municipal or volunteer fire department, only when 
the member is en route to or at the scene of a fire or 
other emergency; or 
(20) 
A personal vehicle operated by an active member 
of an emergency medical service, only when the member 
is en route to or at the scene of an emergency. 
Sec. 3. 29-A MRSA §2054. sub-§2. 1fA. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
683, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. B, §S, is amended to read: 
A. 
Only an ambulance; an emergency medical service vehicle; 
a fire department vehicle; a police vehicle; a Department of 
Conservation 
vehicle 
used 
for 
forest 
fire 
control; 
a 
Department of Corrections vehicle as described in subsection 
1, 
paragraph 
B, 
subparagraph 
(6) ; 
a 
personal 
vehicle 
operated by an active member of a municipal or volunteer 
fire department or an emergency medical service, only when 
the member is en route to or at the scene of a fire or other 
emergency; and a highway maintenance vehicle may be equipped 
with a device that provides for alternate flashing of the 
vehicle's headlights. 
Sec. 4. 29-A MRS A §2054. sub-§2~ 1fF, as amended by PL 1995, c. 
SO 
22, §l, is further amended to read: 
F. 
Only vehicles listed in this paragraph, 
rural 
vehicles as provided in paragraph C, 
subparagraph 
(5) 
school buses may be equipped with, display or use a 
auxiliary or emergency light. 
Page l-LR0770 (1) 
mail 
and 
red 
(1) 
Emergency 
lights 
used 
on 
an 
ambulance, 
an 
emergency medical service vehicle, 
a 
fire department 
vehicle, 
a 
fire 
vehicle 
or 
a 
hazardous 
material 
response vehicle must emit a red light or a combination 
of red and white light. 
(2) 
The municipal officers or 
a 
municipal official 
designated by the municipal officers, with the approval 
of the fire chief, may authorize an active member of a 
municipal 
or 
volunteer 
fire 
department 
to 
use 
a 
flasBia~-~~-6i~aaJ--~~-RB~-~~-~£~-~-~~-ia 
aiame~er siren and 
any 
combination of flashing red, 
white and amber lights on a vehicle. 
The 
li~B~ lights 
and siren may be displayed but may be used only while 
the member is en route to or at the scene of a fire or 
other emergency. 
±Be-~~~-~-&e-mB~R~e~-~-~~-as 
prae~ieaale-~-~ae-~~~~~~~~~~~~-eH-~~-frea~ 
ef-~He-~~~~~~-~-~ae-aasBaearaT The lights may be 
mounted 
on 
the 
roof, 
rear 
deck, 
front 
grille 
or 
dashboard 
of 
the vehicle. 
A light mounted 
on 
the 
dashboard must be shielded so that the emitted light 
does not interfere with the operator's vision. 
(3) 
Members of an emergency medical service licensed 
by Maine Emergency Medical Services may display and use 
on a vehicle 
a--.f~~~..f--H~Q-~~~£-a~--~1gh-1:--ef-~-he--same 
preper~ieB. the lights and siren, in the same location 
and 
under 
the 
same 
conditions 
as 
those 
permitted 
municipal and volunteer firefighters, 
when authorized 
by the chief official of the emergency medical service. 
Sec. 5. 29-A MRS A §2054. sub-§10 is enacted to read: 
~l~O~.~ __ U~s~e~~o~f~~l~i~g~h~t~s~~or sirens; 
requirements; 
revocation. 
Active members of a municipal or volunteer fire department or an 
emergency medical service as listed under subsection 1, paragraph 
A, 
subparagraphs 
( 19) 
and 
( 20) 
must 
meet 
the 
following 
requirements: 
A. 
Be at least 21 years of age: 
B. 
Have completed 3 years of active service in a municipal 
or 
volunteer 
fire 
department 
or 
an 
emergency 
medical 
service: and 
C. 
Have 
completed 
a 
state-certified 
emergency 
vehicle 
operators or emergency ambulance operators course pr ior to 
exercising the pr iviJ,Sl-9.-!LOf_using lights and sirens. 
The privilege of using a light or siren may be revoked at any 
time with the approval of the fire chief or the chief official of 
the 
emergency medical 
service for 
misconduct 
by 
a 
municipal 
officer or 
a 
municipal official designated by 
the municipal 
officers. 
SUMMARY 
This bill permits municipal and volunteer firefighters and 
emergency medical services personnel to use sirens and flashing 
red, white and amber lights on personal vehicles while en route 
to or at the scene of fires or other emergencies. 
It also 
provides that such vehicles are covered by the rules of operation 
applying to authorized emergency vehicles. 
The bill also adds 
requirements that must be met before a person may use a siren and 
flashing light on a personal vehicle.