|What do they mean?
What should you do?
Most members of any volunteer fire department run "BLUE" lights on their vehicles. This is
the most common and designates anyone in that vehicle running that light is a member of a
volunteer fire department. This is a courtesy light and it means that we are asking permission
for the right of way on the road. It identifies a firefighter or emergency medical personnel
responding to a call for service. These lights are to be used to respond to an emergency or as a
marker to show that there is an emergency in the area.
Red lights are normally run by Fire Chiefs, Assistant Chiefs, Ambulance Captains, Fire Police
Captains, or Water Rescue Captains. When red lights are displayed on a vehicle they are to
also have a siren on them as well. On average when you see these lights activated on a vehicle
these members are responding to the scene of an emergency.
We ask that should you see a red or blue flashing that you please yield and allow us the right of
way so we maybe able to respond to the emergency at hand that is occurring in our / your
TIP- SAFETY FIRST: Anytime when you travel, if you see these lights please SLOW
DOWN, use caution when approaching the emergency area for changes in traffic patterns.
Please do not stop to get a glimpse of the incident as this may cause a traffic accident. As with
PENNDOT employees, please watch out for these emergency responders for it is likely they
will be in traffic areas.