question Blue Lights on Vehicles

[LoggyDriver]

For an Ambulance to be registered as an ambulance it has to satisfy the rule that the word "Ambulance" is clearly visible on both sides of the vehicle, so that it is readily identifiable as an ambulance. I have not yet seen an ex Military Ambulance, that has this wording, (and I guess many owners would not want to make its livery un-original, by adding this wording), so how does your ambulance manage to be registered as an ambulance, or am I wrong and you do have the word Ambulance lettered on both sides of the vehicle??

 

Most Military ambulances seem to be identified by use of the "Red Cross" symbol, alone, and this is not enough for a vehicle to be viewed as an ambulance....

 

 

 

 

I am a trained Battle Field Ambulance driver, and drove them when I was with 1 Squadron RLC when I was in the Army. These Ambulances (Wolf) have the words Ambulance written on both sides in Blue. They used to have fold away red crosses, but these have been removed.

[ruxy]

ISTR - the Ruddington disposals catalogues always had a entry about the Geneva Conventions and use of red cross. When private auction disposal sites were used - this was not the case , possibly just one site in the Uk made a mention.

[ted angus]

For an Ambulance to be registered as an ambulance it has to satisfy the rule that the word "Ambulance" is clearly visible on both sides of the vehicle, so that it is readily identifiable as an ambulance. I have not yet seen an ex Military Ambulance, that has this wording, (and I guess many owners would not want to make its livery un-original, by adding this wording), so how does your ambulance manage to be registered as an ambulance, or am I wrong and you do have the word Ambulance lettered on both sides of the vehicle??

 

Most Military ambulances seem to be identified by use of the "Red Cross" symbol, alone, and this is not enough for a vehicle to be viewed as an ambulance....

 

 

Mike you are spot on I had to produce the blue lettering to put on our Pinzgauer airfield ambulances. -- sorry Trauma units !! We then produced lettering for the Wolfs with our local TA unit and for 612 RAux AF.

I attended a briefing on joint service matters at HQ 2nd Div as it is now , at least one of the Army MTOs attending had the attitude if people can't see it an ambulance then tough it was pointed out that without the word on there, driving on the public road with a blue light FITTED put the driver in an illegal situation.

The Geneva Red Cross should only be displayed in operational areas, it is a marking covered in law by the Geneva convention; It certainly should never be displayed in the UK. It is illegal for preserved vehicles to display the red cross but thankfully that seems to be ignored. Turning to blue lights in the past few years lots of changes to the legistation; Briefly only Bona Fida emergency vehicles as listed in the Lighting regulations can have blue lights fitted note the word fitted it used to say "use blue lights" now they should not even be fitted unless bona fida. covering them does not satisfy the law although most traffic officers apply common sense.

Flying P -- I can tell you that drivers working for private fire protection companies etc have to have the EFAD qualification (Emergency Fire Appliance Driver) No EFAD then no driving with the blues. Some organisations cover the blues up if it is being moved by a member of the workshops staff. I have a couple of RAF friends who are First Responders before they can crew the First Response vehicle supplied by Scottish Ambulance Service they do an Advanced driving ticket with Fife Police. You need to check your firms insurance policy very carefully I bet somewhere it will require any blue light work to be done by suitably qualified drivers. Good Luck

 

TED

Edited November 22, 2009 by ted angus
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