Green flashing lights can be seen on personal vehicles of volunteer firefighters in Cypress County - Photo by Ross Lavigne

By Charles Lefebvre

Green light

County fire department educating public about green flashing lights

Sep 6, 2019 | 4:25 PM

DUNMORE, AB — If you saw green flashing lights in a car behind you, would you know what it means? And what you would do next?

The lights mean a volunteer firefighter with Cypress County is on their way to an emergency call, or coming to the station en route to an emergency call, and Cypress County is wanting to make drivers aware of the lights, and what they can do if they see it.

“The word’s getting out there,” said Meyer. “We’ve had some phone calls about people inquiring about what the green lights are, and what it means. They see them come right to the Dunmore Fire Station or the Box Springs Fire Station, or any other station. We’ve been educating them and getting the message out there.”

Green flashing lights are used by volunteer emergency departments in other communities in Canada, including several in Ontario.

The lights have been in Cypress County since 2015. Signs can be found outside several communities in the County, giving motorists information.

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According to the province, municipalities must pass a bylaw to allow volunteer firefighters to use the green lights in their personal vehicles.. Municipalities are also responsible for public relations and education campaigns around the lights.

Meyer says the county has 129 volunteer firefighters in its division, with a majority of the firefighters having the lights in their vehicle.

“The members towards the north and south, they don’t have them, due to not having a whole lot of traffic that they have to contend with,” said Meyer.

However, firefighters in the county are still bound by the province’s traffic laws with the green lights, as their personal vehicle is not considered an emergency vehicle. Meyer says this is outlined to firefighters when they receive their lights.

“They cannot speed, they cannot run red lights, they have to drive responsibly,” said Meyer. “We just hope the public sees the green lights, lets the firefighters pass when it’s safe to do so, so they can get to the station and get into these apparatuses.”

The province’s most recent driver’s guide, released in July 2019, includes information about green flashing lights, saying drivers should treat them similar to other emergency vehicles.

Mona Delaney, owner of Driver’s Edge, says they educate drivers in their classes about the lights and how to properly and safely respond to them.

“We do teach them that they should pull over, or to help that vehicle to facilitate getting where they need to go,” she said. “We help them to understand that’s what it is and to be aware of it, and to help that vehicle facilitate getting past them as quickly as possible.”