Emergency Vehicle sign
Emergency vehicles, such as fire trucks from a nearby station, may enter the road.
What to do
Watch for emergency vehicles entering and yield to them.
Watch for flashing lights near the driveway and be ready to stop and let an emergency vehicle out.
Where it's used
Section 2C.54 allows the Emergency Vehicle (W11-8) sign where emergency vehicles may unexpectedly enter the road, such as near a fire station, and only where sight distance is limited or such entries would be unexpected. It is a black-on-yellow diamond with a fire-truck symbol. Plaques such as AHEAD or XX FEET may be added to give advance notice.
Don't confuse it with
- Move Over or Reduce Speed: The white Move Over sign states the law for passing emergency vehicles stopped on the shoulder, while this yellow sign warns that they may pull out.
- Truck Crossing: Truck Crossing warns of ordinary trucks entering the road, not emergency vehicles.
- Emergency Medical Services: The blue EMS sign is a service sign pointing to medical services, not a warning.
- Type
- Warning signs
- Shape
- Diamond
- Colors
- yellow, black
- MUTCD code
- W11-8
- MUTCD section
- 2C.54
On state permit tests
Our questions for 1 state ask about this sign, including Rhode Island.
Test yourself
What does this sign mean? (Rhode Island practice test)
- Hospital
- Police station
- Firehouse parking only
- Fire station ahead
Show answer
Fire station ahead. This warning sign shows a fire station is ahead; watch for emergency vehicles entering.
More warning signs
Turn
Curve
Reverse Turn
Reverse Curve
Winding Road
One-Direction Large Arrow
Two-Direction Large Arrow
Chevron AlignmentFrom the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 11th edition, section 2C.54. Sign image: public domain, source.