Volunteer firefighters - volunteer ambulance attendants - special lights and alarm systems

(1) (a) All members of volunteer fire departments regularly attached to the fire departments organized within incorporated towns, counties, cities, and fire protection districts and all members of a volunteer ambulance service regularly attached to a volunteer ambulance service within an area that the ambulance service would be reasonably expected to serve may have their private automobiles equipped with a signal lamp or a combination of signal lamps capable of displaying flashing, oscillating, or rotating red lights visible to the front and rear at five hundred feet in normal sunlight. In addition to the red light, flashing, oscillating, or rotating signal lights may be used that emit white or white in combination with red lights. At least one of such signal lamps or combination of signal lamps shall be mounted on the top of the automobile. Said automobiles may be equipped with audible signal systems such as sirens, whistles, or bells. Said lights, together with any signal systems authorized by this subsection (1), may be used only as authorized by subsection (3) of this section or when a member of a fire department is responding to or attending a fire alarm or other emergency or when a member of an ambulance service is responding to an emergency requiring the member's services. Except as authorized in subsection (3) of this section, neither such lights nor such signals shall be used for any other purpose than those set forth in this subsection (1). If used for any other purpose, such use shall constitute a violation of this subsection (1), and the violator commits a class B traffic infraction. (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (1), a member of a volunteer fire department or a volunteer ambulance service may equip his or her private automobile with the equipment described in paragraph (a) of this subsection (1) only after receiving a permit for the equipment from the fire chief of the fire department or chief executive officer of the ambulance service through which the volunteer serves. (2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 96, p. 957, § 3, effective July 1, 1996.) (3) A fire engine collector or member of a fire department may use the signal system authorized by subsection (1) of this section in a funeral, parade, or for other special purposes if the circumstances would not lead a reasonable person to believe that such vehicle is responding to an actual emergency.