A. Operation Of Vehicles On Approach Of Authorized Emergency Vehicles:
1. The operator of a vehicle on a roadway shall yield the right of way to authorized emergency vehicles when the latter are operated upon official business and the operators thereof sound audible signals by bell, siren or exhaust whistle.
2. Upon the approach of any authorized emergency vehicle giving audible signal by bell, siren or whistle, the operator of every other vehicle shall immediately drive the same to a position as near as possible and parallel to the right hand edge or curb of the street, clear of any intersection, and shall stop and remain stopped until the authorized emergency vehicles shall have passed unless otherwise directed by a police officer or firefighter.
B. Fire Department Vehicles; Fires:
1. Following Fire Apparatus: Upon the sounding of sirens or other warning devices used upon or for fire apparatus, operators shall stop their vehicles as near to the right hand edge of the roadway as possible, and shall remain standing until all such fire apparatus and other authorized emergency vehicles shall have passed. It shall be unlawful for the operator of any vehicle to follow any fire apparatus in response to a fire alarm closer than three hundred feet (300') to the rear of such apparatus. (1988 Code § 6-1-4)
2. Interfering With Fire Department Vehicles And Apparatus:
a. On and after the effective date hereof, it shall be unlawful for any person not a member of the fire company to catch hold of, climb onto, ride on or with or do anything to retard any fire engine, firetruck, hosecart or other fire apparatus however propelled or carried while proceeding to a fire or supposed fire in response to the fire alarm or otherwise unless invited to do so by the fire marshal or by the officer or firefighter in charge in the absence of his superior.
b. While going to a fire or supposed fire, during the time the fire is being extinguished, while replacing the hose or other apparatus and while returning with a fire engine, firetruck, hosecart or other fire apparatus however carried, the fire marshal, or in his absence the officer or firefighter in charge, shall have actual control of such engine, truck, hosecart or other apparatus and the premises thereof including the premises and location of any fire or supposed fire, and any person by his presence or by molesting or interfering with or holding to or moving the hose, hosecart, truck or engine or other fire apparatus without the direct instruction of the fire marshal or in his absence the officer or firefighter in charge, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and punishable as prescribed herein; and for the purpose of enforcing this title, the fire marshal, and in his absence the officer or firefighter in charge, is hereby appointed and confirmed as special police to serve from the inception of any fire or the sounding of any fire alarm until such fire is extinguished and the fire apparatus is returned to its place. (1988 Code § 6-1-4; amd. 2016 Code)
3. Driving Over Fire Hose: After the effective date hereof, it shall be unlawful to drive any vehicle or animal upon or across the fire hose or other fire apparatus or to trample or walk upon same.
4. Penalty: Any person who shall violate subsections B2 and B3 of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in any sum not exceeding two hundred dollars ($200.00). (1988 Code § 6-1-4)