Emergency vehicles.

Existing law prohibits any vehicle, other than an authorized emergency vehicle, from being equipped with a siren. Existing law requires an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a siren that meets requirements set forth by the Department of the California Highway Patrol. Existing regulations of the California Highway Patrol define a "Hi-Lo" to be a nonsiren sound alternating between a fixed high and a fixed low frequency and require the "Hi-Lo" function to be disabled on any siren manufactured after January 1, 1978. This bill would authorize an emergency vehicle to be equipped with a "Hi-Lo" audible warning sound and would authorize the "Hi-Lo" to be used solely for the purpose of notifying the public of an immediate need to evacuate. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.