What should I do when an emergency vehicle approaches?

Pennsylvania state law requires drivers to yield to emergency vehicles displaying visual and/or audible warning devices. These laws exist for your safety and the safety of those on the emergency vehicle. PLEASE obey Pennsylvania traffic laws. Unless the movement of the emergency vehicle is obviously into the right shoulder or traffic lane, please move to the RIGHT and stop or SIGNIFICANTLY slow your vehicle. Emergency vehicles may make unexpected turns or stops to access an emergency scene or a fire hydrant. The operators of emergency vehicles are often being bombarded with instructions that may change their original route of travel. Please help us protect each other by obeying the law.

If you are stuck in traffic your best course of action may be to simply stay put until the emergency vehicle passes. Our fire apparatus are equipped to override most traffic signals. This provides you with the means to safely move across an intersection and out of the path of the apparatus. Please give other drivers space to move out of the travel lane being used by the emergency vehicle.

If you are on Atherton Street or a similar roadway where a center turning lane exists, please DO NOT move into the center lane. We will use the center lane to move past you while you simply stay put. Fire apparatus is large, heavy, and does not stop on a dime.