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New rule goes into effect ,November 24 2008 " Federal-Aid" High Visibility vest will be required on a scene on a roadway  by all Fire& EMS And Police personell.

There are Grants available for these vest.

stevenjacob this will be a Federal law.

Just make sure your getting the correct ones. A lot of companies now about this new law and are trying to unload vests at a stupidly low price. So beware,be safe.

Well said duhsighpull.

Very good firemanjoe but like jim said just make sure that your getting the correct ones.

firefighter8SR says ...

Very good firemanjoe but like jim said just make sure that your getting the correct ones.

they are correct we got them throught the D.O.C

We got some vest now too.  A few months ago the Missouri Dept. of Transportation and the Missouri Highway Patrol hosted a class in our county.  After the class they gave every fire dept. about 20-30 of these vests.  We have one available for every seat on all our trucks plus a few of our officers that go POV all the time have them.  For the most part we all wear them but sometimes they are easy to forget, but we are working on that. 

Seems like the patrolman may have said if you get caught without them their could be possible fines to your Dept. ???  or maybe he said if you get caught without them on it may lead to the ineligibility of getting federal grants.????  Anyone know if thats true?

Sounds like a good idea! So many little things that we can do to try and stay safe.

emtjad says ...

Here are some links about the ANSI/ISEA 207-2006 Public Safety Vest, Class 2.   "...workers who are on or near interstate highways to wear high-visibility safety apparel."  must be in complicance with 29 CFR Part 634.

 

http://www.safetyequipment.org/207std.htm

http://www.reflectivevest.com/ansi207standard.html

http://www.occupationalhazards.com/News/Article/43927/HighVis_Regulations_Potential_for_Confusion.aspx

 

You can get Class 2 or Class 3 vests from a variety of suppliers; www.galls.com, www.chiefsupply.com, or www.safetygearonline.com, just to name a few.

most of the suppliers are all trying to make thier vest meet the law. I have contacted a few of them and they are all saying wait til they get the right vests before buying.

IRISHFF36 says ...

MY CO. RECENTLY TOOK DELIVERY OF 1- LIME YELLOW VEST W/ ORANGE/SILVER REFLECTIVE STRIPING PER EVERY SEAT OF THE APPARATUS.  ( APPROX. 35 VESTS IN ALL).  THEY ARE OF THE "BREAK-A-WAY" STYLE. 

WHILE IT MAY BE A FACT THAT THEY IMPROVE VISIBILITY,  I PERSONALLY FEEL THEY ARE A NUISANCE.  THEY ARE HARD TO PUT ON WHILE RESPONDING TO A CALL W/OUT THEM COMING APART, WHILE YOU TALK ON THE RADIO, OPERATE THE LIGHTS AND SIRENS AND HORNS, AND CONCENTRATE ON WHAT JOB(S) YOU ARE ABOUT TO PERFORM. 

IT IS ALSO IRRITATING TO KNOW YOU ARE NOT GAINING ANY MORE REFLECTIVITY THAN WITH YOUR T.O. GEAR.  YOUR T.O. GEAR IS ( SHOULD BE) CLASS II ANSI.  THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THESE VESTS ARE.  YOU ARE NOT GAINING ANY CLASS RATINGS. IF PARTS OF THE VEST DON'T REFLECT, YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE WEARING YOUR BUNKER COAT. 

I HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF BEING COMPLIANT WHEN TIMES WARRANT,  BECAUSE IT IS JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO.  BUT THEY ARE, TO ME, A PAIN IN THE ARSE!

JUST MY OPINIONS

ok I guess I'm different in the fact that I have a hard time seeing people in turnout gear vs the vest. it  has taken me alot of time and effort to get our dept to start using the vest we have but after thre time well invested I am seeing our guys using the vest more and more with even some of the "old times" telling the new guys they need to use them. I know I see sooo much better with the vest than without. thanks for listening         maybe it is different up north

firefighter8SR says ...

There are Grants available for these vest.

Any info available on these grants?  This thread is the first I have heard about this new law, so now I'm scrambling trying to get all the information on this.  The links have been a great help....thanks for posting them.  Now, if I can just find a funding source.........

I am also aware of this change.  It is all about safety in our business. But Common sense is also very important in our business.  We all need to look around and be watchful for everyone who is on the scene of any incident that we are assisting at or dispatched too.  Still I think that all in all vests are good idea and once we all get use to them it will be liek second nature to wearing them at auto accidents or incidents on the roads that we are assisting at.

sandy2501 says ...

 

Don’t you all just love these mandates? I heard this coming down the pike about 3 months ago. ANSI is who made the mandate. The vest MUST BE THAT CRAP GREEN with the 3M strips. No, turnout gear doesn’t count. No the orange or red vests don’t count either. The threat is, if it’s a Federally Funded Highway, which everyone except private roads are, collecting on an insurance claim will be troublesome.

 

Why is it, every time someone makes a mandate, the vendors jump the price knowing that we have to purchase the items. Case in point. I purchased these vests 2 months ago and paid $22 each. I just received a flyer in the mail form a local AL company (NAFCO)

Advising me that these are now a requirement and the price is now $39.95 each.

 

Sandy.....you and I both know common sense takes a back seat to $$$$$$$.

ok...somebody please explain to me how wearing a stupid vest is gonna keep me safe on the scene at a roadway incident?  its like throwing cones out or putting wheel chocks down...putting a vest on....no matter how much striping it has or what its color is...will not stop that drunk driver from taking you out...it wont stop that lookie lou from plowing into you...now i dont want you all to think i dont care...or im complacent..on the contrary...as an engineer, safety starts for me EVERYTIME  i push that big yellow button to release my brakes so we can respond...it doesnt stop for me until i get back and pull out that big yellow button to set the brake back in the station...but

how many of you have S.O.Ps dealing with highway or roadway response?

how many of you actually follow those response guidelines without deviation?

How many of you actually have a good, solid working relationship with your Dept of Transportation?

How many of you actually know what the roadway work guidelines are for your area as per the DOT?

so now its gonna be mandated!  and since NFPA watever says your fire dept has to provide you with the tools and equipment to operate safely on a rescue scene..guess what? your tax dollars and mine...and our customers...will be spent on a piece of equipment no more useful on the accident than your clipboard...now you dont have to like what im saying....but if this is so necessary for our safety...why doesnt the government just make them and hand them out to ALL fire depts...point is...look to see where this is coming from...im sure when we take a closer look at whoever or watever committee that drove this..we will be able to figure out it about someone making some cash...