Number Page(s)
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
541 1 of 2
Forest Title: Date Approved:
Management USE OF WARNING LIGHTS AND SIRENS
Division ON FOREST FIRE EQUIPMENT February 17, 2000
A. AUTHORIZATION/REFERENCE
THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT, ACT NO. 451 OF THE PUBLIC ACTS
OF 1994, BEING SECTIONS 324.101 TO 324.90106 OF THE MICHIGAN COMPILED LAWS ANNOTATED:
PART 5 GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES - MCLA 324.501 TO 324.511
PART 515 PREVENTION AND SUPPRESSION OF FOREST FIRES - MCLA 324.51501 TO 324.51514
PART 517 PREVENTION OF FOREST FIRES - MCLA 324.51701 TO 324.51702
THE MICHIGAN VEHICLE CODE, ACT 300 OF 1949, AS AMENDED, BEING SECTIONS 257.1 TO 257.1877 OF
THE MICHIGAN COMPILED LAWS ANNOTATED
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION POLICY NO. 2207 AND DEPARTMENT OF
NATURAL RESOURCES PROCEDURE NO. 2207.7
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES COMMISSION POLICY NO. 4201
RELATED FOREST MANAGEMENT DIVISION POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 121, NO. 621, NO. 622 AND
NO. 623
B. POLICY
It shall be the policy to equip all forest fire control initial attack vehicles with an electronic siren/PA system and red
light.
The use of such devices is definitely to our advantage and must not be abused under any circumstances.
The Michigan Vehicle Code (Act 300, P.A. 1949, as revised) must be fully complied with. The following excerpts are
furnished for guidance.
"Section 603 (b). The driver of any authorized emergency vehicle when responding to an emergency call but not while
returning therefrom, may exercise privileges set forth in this section, but subject to the conditions herein stated."
"Section 603 (c). The driver of an authorized emergency vehicle may:
1. Park or stand, irrespective of the provisions of this act.
2. Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe
operation.
3. Exceed the prima facie speed limit so long as he does not endanger life or property.
4. Disregard regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified direction."
"Section 6S3 (b). This section shall not operate to relieve the driver of an authorized emergency vehicle from the duty
to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons using the highway."
No operator will be authorized to use warning lights and sirens until he/she has received training in their safe use and
clearly understands his/her legal responsibilities.
The Forest Management Unit will maintain a list of personnel trained and authorized to use the warning lights and
sirens.
Each vehicle will have a decal, "WARNING - Only persons trained and authorized are to use the warning lights and
sirens", conspicuously placed on the dash.
C. EXPLANATION
Number Page(s)
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
541 2 of 2
Forest Title: Date Approved:
Management USE OF WARNING LIGHTS AND SIRENS
Division ON FOREST FIRE EQUIPMENT February 17, 2000
The safety of the operator and crew of fire equipment is greatly improved by the use of red lights and sirens while
traveling on rural roads where visibility may be impaired, and or where the general public in the vicinity of the fire may
be excited and involved with fire control traffic.
The identification of forest fire control vehicles through the mounting of electronic PA/sirens and revolving red lights
has proven very advantageous in areas where traffic congestion adversely affects travel time enroute to a fire. This
is true on the highway, backwoods trail and at the fire site.
D. PROCEDURE
New equipment to be furnished with an electronic PA/siren and red light are:
4x4's and 6x6 tankers, tiltbed trucks and semi-trucks used to transport fire equipment, pickup trucks issued to area
fire supervisors and VTS vehicles issued to State Forest level fire managers and area fire supervisors in the Southern
Lower Peninsula.
The Forest Supervisor will provide training in the safe use and operation, of warning lights and siren. The training to
include legal responsibilities of the operator and will be given before the individual is authorized to operate the
warning light and siren.
The Forest Management Unit will maintain a list of all trained and authorized personnel.
The Forest Management Unit will assure that the "WARNING" decal furnished by the Division Office is placed in a
conspicuous place on the dash of each vehicle equipped with a warning light and siren.
HISTORICAL NOTES:
1. (DATE UNKNOWN) ORIGINAL POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 540-1 THROUGH 540-2 ADOPTED.
2. APRIL, 1994 POLICY AND PROCEDURES NUMBER CHANGED TO NO. 541.
3. FEBRUARY 17, 2000, POLICY AND PROCEDURES NO. 541 REVISED TO REFLECT CURRENT STATUTES,
POLICIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE.