Chatham-Kent is looking to raise awareness about flashing green lights with several new signs across the community.
Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue received council's approval Monday night to install 33 "watch for green flashing light" signs in an effort to alert drivers about the presence of volunteer firefighter in rural areas.
The signs, which have a price tag of $500, will be installed along the roadways of the municipality's entry points.
"Chatham-Kent has a significant amount of firefighters, specifically in the rural communities," read a report presented to council at the August 8 meeting. "A flashing green light represents a volunteer firefighter has been paged and is on route to the local fire station to respond to an emergency."
Chatham-Kent Fire and Rescue currently employs 406 firefighters across 19 fire stations.
Although it is not mandatory, some firefighters choose to equip their personal vehicles with a flashing green light to notify drivers they are responding to an emergency.
"In the province of Ontario, the flashing green light does not offer firefighters any privileges or exemptions under the Highway Traffic Act," read the report. "It is not the law for motorists to pull over, rather pulling over and yielding the right of way when you see the light flashing is merely a courtesy for the firefighter."
The instillation of the signs along entry points aligns the municipality with a growing number of municipalities that have recently done the same.
The signs come at a total cost of $16,500 and will be funded through the municipal strategic reserve.
