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The Florida Senate

2012 Florida Statutes

Title XXIII MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316 STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL Entire Chapter
SECTION 2398
Display or use of red warning signals; motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters or medical staff.
F.S. 316.2398
316.2398 Display or use of red warning signals; motor vehicles of volunteer firefighters or medical staff.—
(1) A privately owned vehicle belonging to an active firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer firefighting company or association, while en route to the fire station for the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a fire or other emergency or while en route to the scene of a fire or other emergency in the line of duty as an active firefighter member of a regularly organized firefighting company or association, or a privately owned vehicle belonging to a medical staff physician or technician of a medical facility licensed by the state, while responding to an emergency in the line of duty, may display or use red warning signals visible from the front and from the rear of such vehicle, subject to the following restrictions and conditions:
(a) No more than two red warning signals may be displayed.
(b) No inscription of any kind may appear across the face of the lens of the red warning signal.
(c) In order for an active volunteer firefighter to display such red warning signals on his or her vehicle, the volunteer firefighter must first secure a written permit from the chief executive officers of the firefighting organization to use the red warning signals, and this permit must be carried by the volunteer firefighter at all times while the red warning signals are displayed.
(2) It is unlawful for any person who is not an active firefighter member of a regularly organized volunteer firefighting company or association or a physician or technician of the medical staff of a medical facility licensed by the state to display on any motor vehicle owned by him or her, at any time, any red warning signals as described in subsection (1).
(3) It is unlawful for an active volunteer firefighter to operate any red warning signals as authorized in subsection (1), except while en route to the fire station for the purpose of proceeding to the scene of a fire or other emergency, or while at or en route to the scene of a fire or other emergency, in the line of duty.
(4) It is unlawful for a physician or technician of the medical staff of a medical facility to operate any red warning signals as authorized in subsection (1), except when responding to an emergency in the line of duty.
(5) A violation of this section is a nonmoving violation, punishable as provided in chapter 318. In addition, any volunteer firefighter shall be dismissed from membership in the firefighting organization by the chief executive officers thereof.
History.—s. 1, ch. 71-135; s. 1, ch. 76-31; s. 1, ch. 77-454; s. 3, ch. 80-176; s. 2, ch. 87-157; s. 324, ch. 95-148; s. 31, ch. 96-350; s. 1, ch. 2003-165.
Note.—Former s. 316.292.