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Emergency lighting can also be used for warning |
Article Submitted by: Sunil Punjabi
Thursday, 25 February 2010
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Both passive visual warning devices and active visual warning devices are used for emergency lighting. Passive visual warning consists of painting the vehicles in special patterns, or painting special symbols on the emergency vehicles. These are comparatively less used than active warning devices like beacons and light bars on top of the emergency vehicle.
The term emergency lighting refers to the system of warning employed by emergency vehicles like ambulances, police vehicles, and fire trucks, to request other vehicles on the road to let them go at a speed higher than that allowed under normal conditions, and also to warn them that they will be proceeding without obeying other traffic rules. This emergency lighting provision will be over and above the use of lights like flashers, which may be used by many vehicles as warning lights. Though a flasher is also used for warning, all types of vehicles can use it. Any vehicle may sport it when visibility is low due to fog or rain, by slow moving vehicles that are part of ceremonial motorcades or funerals, or vehicles stopped at inappropriate places. But the warning devices that are part of emergency lighting provision can be used only by the above said category of emergency vehicles that are allowed by law to use them. Even these vehicles can use them only when they are either going in response to an emergency situation or when such lights are necessary for maintaining law and order. Emergency lighting could be in the form of passive visual warning or active visual warning. Passive visual warning consists of marking an emergency vehicle with a highly conspicuous color scheme that will set it apart from the other vehicles on the road. A very common passive visual warning pattern used by way of emergency lighting is what is known as the Battenburg pattern. This is a check pattern where squares of two bright colors alternate between each other (generally yellow and green) and is so called because of its similarity to a type of cake of the same name. These colors may be either painted on the vehicle or may be projected with the help of retro-reflective markings. Besides the Battenburg pattern, arrowheads known as chevrons are sometimes painted on vehicles by way of passive emergency lighting. The arrowhead points upwards when painted on the rear, and points forwards when painted on the side. Another passive visual warning method that is in use is writing the name of the concerned emergency service in reverse on the front of the vehicle. Since a mirror image appears in the reverse order, this will enable the other drivers to see the name correctly in their rear view mirror. Sometimes the name of the person operating the service, or the phone number, may be painted along the service name as part of passive emergency lighting. Ambulances belonging to the Red Cross or Military have the right to mark their vehicles with special markings allowed by the law as passive emergency lighting symbols. For example, a red colored cross, crescent, or diamond marking is allowed in some ambulances. A red diamond is also known as red crystal. Detailed rules that have been laid down by the Geneva Conventions guard the displaying of these symbols on ambulances. Besides specific markings, vehicles are sometimes painted below in bright colors to add to the visual impact. Active visual warning devices used for emergency lighting are the beacons, strobes, and light bars with which we are more familiar these days. Extreme Electrical Dynamics is a one-stop shop for emergency lighting and many other items like Flashlights, Sirens, Deck Lights, etc. Please visit the site for more details of various items available - http://www.extremetacticaldynamics.com/ Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
I am a Microsoft Certified Professional. I conduct Training and Certification Guidance for
Microsoft .Net Certification Courses through my training institute-Sierra Infotech. I also own and manage a
SEO Company and
article Directory.
I am a Microsoft Certified Professional. I conduct Training and Certification Guidance for
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SEO Company and
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