Single Red Spotlight on Calif Ambulances

James Fischer

PCS Member
In California in the 60's,70's and 80's it was a California Highway PATROL REQUIREMENT that all emergency vehicles have at least one STEADY burning red light.....On ambulances this was usually achieved via hand held spotlight....
My question is does anyone know the particular type or manufactuer of those hand held spots ??
My first thought is Unity...but not sure.....also was there differant types of red bulbs that would of been used ?? GE perhaps ??
Thank you in advance for any information......
Jim
 
I remember most of them were not hand held lights, but permanently mounted Unity spotlights. There was a company that did make a spotlight that would hang from the mirror, but I don't remember the name, but I know it wasn't Unity..
 
I doubt any ambulances in CA used handheld red spotlights to be in compliance with CHP regs. They were however used by police departments in undercover cars.
 
Ok....my error.....
By "Handheld" what I really mean is the "pillar mount" style lights.....
The companies I worked for did have roof mounted steady burn...but also had the pillar mount ,driver side was steady burn RED and the passenger side was just a regular clear spotlight.....
Sorry for the confusion.....
JIm
 
Red Spotlight

From what I am aware of is that some of the ambulances had a spotlight mounted to the A frame of the vehicle. If no spotlight, then they incorporated a steady burning red light as part of the warning equipment on the unit. In addition to a steady burning red light to the front which I think is still in effect today, an emergency vehicle had to have a flashing yellow light to the rear which once again I think is the case.
 
Here is a CA set up I have on one of my ambulances.
PaloAlto69MM101908014.jpg

PaloAlto69MM101908016.jpg

This light is tagged from Federal Sign and Signal this way. Federal used a unity light. If I'm not mistaking it is a model 173C
 
Red Light

Thank you Bruce for posting the picture.....
I drove for Superior Ambulance In Sacramento CA......Foothill Ambulance and they had (among others) 71-73 Superior Hightops..that had 2 pillar mounted spots RED on drivers side and regular spot on passenger side...thats what I am trying to figure out WHO made those lights......
I have a friend who is in need of 2 and also the RED lens.....but we cant look until we know WHAT we are looking for.....
Thanks again to all ..
Jim
 
From what I am aware of is that some of the ambulances had a spotlight mounted to the A frame of the vehicle. If no spotlight, then they incorporated a steady burning red light as part of the warning equipment on the unit. In addition to a steady burning red light to the front which I think is still in effect today, an emergency vehicle had to have a flashing yellow light to the rear which once again I think is the case.

Same rules in CA today. You can have dozens of lights, but at least one has to be a Steady RED to the Front and at least one Flashing AMBER to the Rear. Althought some cities and county sheriff's have them, State of CA owned vehicles ie; CAL FIRE and the CHP have yet to endorse ANY strobes... only flashing LED'S. MM
 
Unity

I think you're looking for a Unity light. We buy them for the pillar mount spots on our police cruisers and they also still make a handheld spotlight with a coiled cord that plugs into the cig. lighter-I've used those for unmarked cruisers....
 
REd Spotlights

THANK YOU all for the helpful information !!I guess I will head to E-Bay and try to find a good Unity.....
Now if I can just find a RED Bulb........
Jim
 
You can buy Unity spotlights new from their website. As for the red light the cheapest way to go is contact john Dorgan on this site.
 
Why steady burning?

What is the reason for the "steady burn" forward facing red light on the California emergency vehicles?

A California police officer told me it is because of fog-the beam from a steady light will continue through the fog un-interupted and at full strength, while a flashing light puts the beam into the fog, but then the beam stops and doesn't penetrate the fog. Maybe that's not the true answer, but it's what I was told when I asked....
 
THANK YOU all for the helpful information !!I guess I will head to E-Bay and try to find a good Unity.....
Now if I can just find a RED Bulb........
Jim

We used to tone down the interior dome lights in our cruisers by removing the clear bulb and painting it with nail polish in the desired color. Just a low budget suggestion....
 
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