(a) While any fire department or fire company in the County, under the provisions of Chapter 2 of Title 27 of the Code of Virginia of 1950, as amended, is in the process of answering an alarm of fire or extinguishing a fire and returning to a station, the chief or other officer in charge of such fire department or company at that time shall have the authority to: maintain order at the fire or its vicinity; direct the actions of the firemen at the fire; keep bystanders or other persons at a safe distance from the fire and fire equipment; facilitate the speedy movement and operation of fire- fighting equipment and firemen until the arrival of a law enforcement officer; direct and control traffic in person or by deputy; and facilitate the movement of traffic. The fire chief or other officer in charge shall display his fireman's badge or other proper means of identification. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this authority shall extend to the activation of traffic control signals designed to facilitate the safe egress and ingress of fire-fighting equipment at a fire station.
(b) No person shall refuse to obey the orders of the fire chief or any of his deputies or any other law enforcement officer in charge at that time.
(c) In order to facilitate emergency response of Fire and Rescue personnel under appropriate emergency conditions, to the extent agreed to by the Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Transportation (VDOT), all new traffic signals or modifications to existing signalized intersections shall include preemption control devices. Such preemption control devices, and any associated equipment, shall be shown on the traffic signal plans submitted to VDOT, and shall be installed and operational prior to the traffic signal being activated. For the purposes of this Section, a preemption control device shall mean a device that transfers the normal operation of a traffic control signal to a special control mode of operation by Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.
(Ord. 19-15. Passed 10-17-19.)