A lightbar can be as large or as small as you wish
The lightbar we see on first responder and other vehicles today is a common sight. The units are very powerful and although the units are becoming more compact, they still pack a punch.
A lightbar originally referred to a metal strip on top of a vehicle where the rotating beacon lights would be fitted. The single strobe or rotating beacon was once only the only lighting available for emergency and first response vehicles. As traffic became heavier, first response vehicles needed more lighting to keep them visible on the roads. The beacon or strobe light manufacturers responded by producing the lightbar which could fit on top of a vehicle and gave much more light. The lights on first response vehicles were needed to warn road users of their presence and also act as hazard warning.
Today’s market contains lightbar units of every conceivable shape and size not to mention colors. The all-purpose lightbar units can contain many different types of lighting and many do still have a beacon or strobe light incorporated in them. The choice of lightbars is huge and it is now a very specialist business with many retailers and manufacturers working directly with different agencies. The benefit of working with the people who will ultimately buy the product is a wise move for companies but it is also good for the agencies buying as they get exactly what they want.
Many of the lightbar units today come with an array of different functions and all of them can have a variable flash pattern. Some units can be used with a light-board that can display scrolling text or static messages, which can be ideal as hazard warning. The lightbars we see certainly make any vehicle that has them very visible and that is important when first responders are racing to a call. The use of siren and flashing lightbar will tend to only be when personnel are responding to the highest priority calls. The main reason lightbars are so popular is they are very visible in all different lighting and weather conditions.
The first lighting on first response vehicles was the single rotating beacon or strobe. These started to appear on vehicles in the 1930’s and Ford were the first vehicle manufacturer to offer a light package to police departments for their vehicles. Any kind of lighting on emergency vehicles has to be reliable and able to function whatever the conditions, and LED lights have become popular as they fit those requirements. The lights and lightbars on a vehicle are now vital safety feature so the units need to be well constructed and be built to last. With a range of colors and fitting options, the lightbars are certainly easy to choose and fit.
You may be surprised by the fact that there is no standard light bar for first response or emergency vehicles as requirements vary from state to state and even operational area. The size of the lightbar used comes down to what you need the lightbar to do and obviously budget. The newer more compact units are a good choice as you get the same features and functionality yet they are cheaper to buy. On today’s roads, no first response or emergency vehicle is complete without a variety of different warning and hazard lights.
Extreme Tactical Dynamics is a one-stop shop for a
Lightbar and many other items like Flashlights, Deck Lights, police lights, etc. Please visit the site for more details of various items available – http://www.extremetacticaldynamics.com/
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