Bill > A2857

Introduced Session

This bill authorizes certain emergency officials to mount and operate emergency warning lights and sirens on their personal vehicles when answering emergency calls. Under current law, blue emergency warning lights may be operated by a member of a volunteer fire company or a volunteer first aid or rescue squad or by a member of a county or municipal volunteer office of emergency management whose official duties include responding to a fire or emergency call, provided the company or volunteer is recognized by and rendering service in a county or municipality. Current law also permits a chief or first assistant chief of a volunteer fire company to operate red emergency warning lights. This bill authorizes county fire coordinators, deputy county fire coordinators, county emergency medical services coordinators, and deputy emergency medical services coordinators to operate these emergency warning lights if certain conditions are met. In order for a county fire coordinator, deputy county fire coordinator, county emergency medical services coordinator, or deputy county emergency medical services coordinator to mount and operate an emergency warning light, regardless of its color, the bill requires the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to prepare suitable identification cards bearing the chief administrator's signature upon the request of a county executive or director of a board of county commissioners recognizing and being served by a county fire coordinator, deputy county fire coordinator, county emergency medical services coordinator, or deputy county emergency medical services coordinator. The identification cards would be countersigned and issued by the county executive or board director to the county fire coordinator, deputy county fire coordinator, county emergency medical services coordinator or deputy county emergency medical services coordinator. The bill prohibits emergency warning lights from being mounted prior to the identification cards being issued, and the person issued a card would need to carry the identification card while an emergency warning light operates on the vehicle. These identification requirements are identical to those imposed under existing law for other authorized drivers operating emergency warning lights. Nothing in current law or this bill grants a county fire coordinator, deputy county fire coordinator, county emergency medical services coordinator, or deputy county emergency medical services coordinator any privileges or exemptions denied to the drivers of other vehicles, and the driver operating emergency warning lights is to drive with due regard for the safety of all persons and obey all State traffic laws.

AI Summary

Committee Categories

Brian Rumpf (R)*,  Vincent Kearney (D), 

Introduced, Referred to Assembly Public Safety and Preparedness Committee (on 01/13/2026)

Official Document