The Florida Senate

316.2398  Display or use of red lights; 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 a red light visible from the front and from the rear of such vehicle, subject to the following restrictions and conditions:

(a)  A light may not have a light source greater than 50 candlepower.

(b)  Only one red light of the revolving type may be displayed, and such light must be permanently or magnetically mounted to the dashboard or roof of the vehicle.

(c)  The red light must consist of a lamp with a red lens, but may not consist of an uncolored lens with a red bulb.

(d)  The red light may not be a part of the regular headlamps, taillights, or turn signal lights displayed on such vehicle.

(e)  No inscription of any kind may appear across the face of the lens of the red light.

(f)  The lens of the red light may not be less than 3 inches or more than 8 inches in diameter.

(g)  In order for an active volunteer firefighter to display such a red light 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 light, and this permit must be carried by the volunteer firefighter at all times while the red light is 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, a red light as described in subsection (1).

(3)  It is unlawful for an active volunteer firefighter to operate a red light 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 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 a red light 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.

Note.--Former s. 316.292.