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I need this answer as soon as anyone can give it to me -- ambulances and fire trucks use devices to switch red lights to green so they can get through in a hurry -- what are those thingies called? Pre-emptor is the word I was given, but that doesn't come up in any internet searches.
posted
Why don't you call the non-emergency number for the fire department, tell them you are a writer, and ask them?
Posts: 115 | Registered: May 2005
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In some major cities they do have devices that turn the lights to green for the emergency vehicles. It has proven safer since it does so in a controlled (yellow Red) way and doesn't completely rely on cross traffic drivers actually paying attention to the road.
However some people were making and selling home made versions. This is dangerous (and highly illegal)
But I don't know their official names.
Posts: 11895 | Registered: Apr 2002
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Actually, what they do is change it to red in all directions and then go through with lights and sirens. I don't know what the thingie is called, but I do remember a stink a couple of years ago when someone started selling them on the internet.
Posts: 7954 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Oh yes, and they turn the light they're facing green and the rest red most of the time. They can be set to change them all red, but usually are not set up like that.
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They use the deviced here. When I've been nearby one to see it, traffic in the direction of the emergency vehicle(s) and incoming traffice (i.e. north-south or east-west) gets an abbreviated green to allow the emergency crews through. I assume that it is when the pre-emptive device moves out of range of the signal control that the normal signals are restored.
On ours, we have a small white light mounted on the crossbar between two sets of colored signal lights. Often times that white light being on is an earlier gauge to me of when someone's coming in hot than being able to hear the sirens.
Posts: 4515 | Registered: Jul 2004
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In Birmingham they're all set up on what are called "routes". When an emergency vehicle is headed somewhere and needs the lights changed, they call the dispatcher and say something like "Rescue 16 requests Route 3" and the dispatch does it for them.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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I believe the way it works is that the device is mounted on an emergency vehicle. It strobes at X times per second. The newer traffic signals are set to recognize this flashing, which tells the signal to change to green this way, yellow then red all other directions.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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