(A) Authority of Police and Fire Department officials.
(1) It shall be the duty of the officers of the Police Department to enforce all street traffic laws of the city and all of the state vehicle laws applicable to street traffic in this city.
(2) Officers of the Police Department are hereby authorized to direct all traffic by voice, hand or signal in conformance with traffic laws; provided that, in the event of a fire or other emergency or to expedite traffic or to safeguard pedestrians, officers of the Police Department may direct traffic as conditions may require notwithstanding the provisions of the traffic laws.
(3) Officers of the Fire Department, when at an emergency, may direct or assist the police in directing traffic thereat or in the immediate vicinity.
(B) Obedience to Police and Fire Department officials. No person shall willfully fail or refuse to comply with any lawful order or direction of a police officer or Fire Department official.
(C) Exemptions to authorized emergency vehicles. The provisions of this chapter regulating the operation and parking of vehicles shall apply to authorized emergency vehicles, as defined in this chapter, except as follows.
(1) A driver, when operating any such vehicle in an emergency, except when otherwise directed by a police officer, may:
(a) Park notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter;
(b) Proceed past a red or stop signal or stop sign, but only after slowing down as may be necessary for safe operation;
(c) Exceed the prima facie speed limits so long as he or she does not endanger life or property; and
(d) Be exempt from regulations governing direction of movement or turning in specified directions so long as he or she does not endanger life or property.
(2) These exemptions hereinbefore granted in reference to the movement of an authorized emergency vehicle shall apply only when the driver of said vehicle sounds audible signals by siren, horn or bell, or emergency lights.
(3) The foregoing exemptions shall not, however, protect the driver of any such vehicle from the consequences of his or her reckless disregard of the safety of others.
(D) Operation of vehicles on approach of authorized emergency vehicles.
(1) Upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle giving visual and/or audible signals by siren, horn or bell, or emergency lights the driver of every other vehicle shall immediately drive to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right-hand edge or curb of the street, clear of any intersection of streets, and shall stop and remain in such position unless otherwise directed by a police or traffic officer until the authorized emergency vehicle shall have passed.
(2) This section shall not 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.
(Ord. 1193, passed 11-5-2018) Penalty, see § 70.99