CLARINGTON — All Ontario emergency vehicles are easier to see as of Sunday, July 1. Thanks to a change championed by the Clarington Fire Department flashing blue lights are now allowed not only on Ontario police vehicles, but also fire trucks and ambulances.
“We were able to foster effective change that we think will better protect our staff when they’re out there responding and our residents when they’re out there driving,” said Clarington Fire Chief Gord Weir.
The Highway Traffic Act regulates light colours and light placement on emergency vehicles. Police vehicles have been permitted to use flashing blue lights since 2007. Since 2016 Weir has been advocating to have the province change the rules to expand the use of blue lights to other emergency vehicles, making them easier to see in the dark, fog and snow.
Three times in 2017 — once in July and twice in December — Clarington fire trucks were rammed while parked at the side of the highway. In one instance one of the firefighters was still inside the truck and was banged into the console. No one has been seriously injured in any of the collisions. However each time a fire truck is struck the repairs cost thousands of dollars and takes the fire truck out of commission for more than a week each time.
“We looked at why are they getting hit. People can’t see the truck,” said Weir. “We had three trucks hit. Thankfully nobody was injured but how many times does it take until somebody does get hurt?”
In September 2017, the Ontario government announced it would introduce legislation to expand the use of rear flashing blue lights to include enforcement and emergency vehicles that are currently permitted to use only flashing red lights.
Weir was thankful for the proposed change but he wanted to see blue lights also allowed on the front of all emergency vehicles.
In December he got his wish. On Tuesday, Dec. 12 an amendment to the Ontario Highway Traffic Act to allow flashing blue lights on all emergency vehicles (without any restrictions on the placement) passed the third reading and received royal assent.
“I’ve never tried to make a legislative act changed. They said it often takes years and years to effect change. They don’t crack open the act very often,” said Weir.
However, the change didn’t come into effect until the lieutenant-governor repealed a section of the Highway Traffic Act and substituted it with new wording which allows red and blue flashing lights on ambulances, fire department vehicles and police vehicles. The blue lights can now also be used on official vehicles from the Ministry of Transportation, conservation, fishery, provincial park, etc.
The changes came into effect as of Sunday, July 1 but adding new blue lights to the fire department vehicles will be done gradually as the budget allows. There are two Clarington fire trucks already completely retrofitted with the blue flashing lights. More blue lights will be requested in the department’s 2019 budget.
Using a combination of flashing red and blue lights will help get the attention of drivers and keep emergency responders safer, explained Weir.
“It makes us all that much more visible. By no means does it mean we’ll never be hit again but hopefully it will help with visibility,” said Weir.
Link to original article in Durham Region.com: Clarington Fire Department flicks the switch on blue lights