Any emergency vehicle lighting installers

These are the kind of things that prevented me from considering security work, plus pay/lack of benefits.

 

You'd be right. Heck been working for him nearly 7 years (June 2013-present) and still only get $10.75/hr ($1.75 more than when I started). If I could find a better company that would count my experience and not start me at the minimum pay I'd happily take it.

Sam

 

have you considered a career change? I did security after the military for a year and changed careers.

 

Keep looking man. I considered taking a lower paying security job but held out, and just got recently hired by a govt agency as a public officer with a decent salary, pension, and medical benefits. Never give up. After 10 years that pay is insulting.

 

I actually wanna work for DHS Federal Protective Service but can not afford a degree or to attend the Police Academy. I was a Police Explorer for 6 years, was in JROTC my entire high school 'carrer', got training in Homeland Security and Protective Services, am certified as a FEMA Community Emergency Response Team member (but our local emergency services don't have a CERT team), am trained in basic first aide, CPR, and AED use. It sux I can not afford proper schooling to do what I trained for.

Sam

 

how old are you?

 

29 now, will be 30 on 28 Sep.

Sam

 

Have you considered joining the military? I came from a very poor family and the military gave me the ability to elevate myself and improve my life. Even after leaving service. May be something to consider.

 

find a job who will train you. Around here you don’t do the police academy unless you have been hired and the agency is paying for it, and paying you. Have you considered working for somewhere that offers tuition reimbursement. There is also programs like FAFSA That will actually pay for your education.

 

Fresh out of HS I attempted to join the military but they turned me down.

Florida requires you to have your LE certification BEFORE joining the police force, at least Bay County and my local agencies. I went for an Associates degree (2year degree I think) when the military turned me down. I did good in all my classes til they stuck me in the 'Summer C' session which condensed like 1 semester into 3 weeks. My grades in Math and writing dropped below a C due to getting like 4 pages of Math or a 5 page essay in 1 night. Cause i was not fast enough turning in the 'homework' my grades suffered and I lost my pell and could not pay for the schooling on my own. So i went to Job corps for 18 months which is where I got the majority of my training for Homeland Security and Protective Services as well as my CERT training (was required course)

Graduated HS 2009 went to community college
Lost Pell 2010, stayed in Police Explorers (2005-2011)
'Retired' (aged out of) Police Explorers 2011
Went to Job Corps (Aug 2011-Jan 2013)
Graduated Job Corps 2013
Went to work at Holiday Inn for spring break, got laid off in April 2013
Worked for security Company that furloughed me from March to Jun than got shut down due to hiring unlicensed Security Officers afterward.
Finally joined current security company.

Sam

 

I got my switch plate for my lights, now all I need is to get my lights. If ETD does not at least ship them by 5 May, I am gonna demand a refund. :3

2 on/of rockers and a momentary for pattern control. Also has a 20A inline fuse and 2 spare 20A fuses. It also came pre-wired, thank you Speed Tech Lights hehe.

This is the switch panel, just gotta find where to 'install' it. I think the switches may come out.





UPDATE: 9 MAY 2020
Still no grille mounts or dash light. I Emailed them asking about it and told them if they did not get my lights at least shipped by the 14th I was gonna cancwl my order and ask for a refund. They have not messaged me back yet.

As for the control panel.l, thinking of relocating the VSC button to between the fogs and inverter buttons


Than maybe seeing if I can either cut the top off and secure it over the three slots left blank or cut a slit in the panel just above them to put the top in and have it hang there (secured with screws or something.).



Sam

 

Finally, took them 1.5mo but they shipped my lights, they will be here 26 May. So if one of you installers could maybe make a video of a surface mount with dash light install, I'd be very happy. If I want a single momentary toggle to control the pattern of both the surface mount and dash light what would I need to do, splice the wires together and than wire both pattern wires into the single switch? I can upload a closer picture of the switch panel if you need it.

Thank you
Sam

 

So I got my lights in today. Got the dash light mounted.


Now I wanna get advice on the best locations.

Upper Grille


Under center line


Lower Grille


Or on the lattice (center)

Please feel free to give suggestions.

Thanks
Sam

 

I decided to splurge and replaced my $80 TA with a $220 Striker 8 TIR LED TA from Speed Tech Lights. I wanted the dual color one (turns all amber in traffic mode) but that was $100 more and I did not have it. I wound up getting a standard Green/Amber alternating one (Green, Amber, Green, Amber, Green, Amber, Green, Amber rather than Amberx4, Greenx4). It comes with suction mounts and supposedly hard mounts as well as a visor (to prevent flashback). I will "install" it when I get it and show it off likely in this thread and possibly the 'what have you done' thread. All that is left now is the grille light instalation and perhaps a Off road light. I got the 2 on/off+1 momentary switchplate but will be wiring the dashlight into the AUX function of the control box for the TA. Save myself a 12v outlet for other uses. Do you suggest using the suction mounts or hard mounts?

Sam

 

almost true. You can do the academy as an open enrollee. Stink of it is that you pay for everything (including ammunition for range days and we shoot A LOT). We had one in my academy that quit after two weeks.

best thing to do, OP is get hired by a county, go through their background (pain in the ass. Just a lot of paperwork and lots of little “you need to be here at this time for whatever” and you don’t get paid for it)

All that being said and done, it’s $100k+ to train a LEO from start to finish from what they told us, so well worth the effort. Just go in and decide you will get all the way through, because there are some mornings you are going to ask what the hell you were thinking! Haha

 

I am trying to get my boot in the door now. I just applied for the County Sheriff's Search And Rescue unit. It is volunteer work but part of the Sheriff's Office. I figure that my Community Emergency Response Team training might help with that. Even if it is only with the County's Division of Emergency Services. Could care less if it is LEO or ES. I went to school for Homeland Security and Protective Services to help people NOT help them out the door like a glorified bouncer.

Sam

 

I feel like you have too much experience and knowledge for that. A LEO is not exactly a popular career right now, so it may be a good time to go all the way

just my opinion. End of the day, do what makes you happy and leaves you feeling fulfilled at the end of the day

 

I’ve had my ETD visor bar for 5 years now and zero issues.

I did just get some surface grill mount lights from STL (speed tech lights) and they’re super good quality lights for way less than the big names.

 

I suppose this thread needs an update. I now have a STL Striker-8 TA in Green/Amber and have a Raptor Visor light. Both run off my cig plugs (2 in cab). I had them both installed but had to remove the Raptor due to flashback. I also need to install my 2 grille lights.

Here is a video of my current setup (minus the raptor visor of course, you can see the flashback issue in the video.

https://youtu.be/SdPi_0C9dEY

Sam

 

Do this
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-pVhpKD4Q54


I have a Whelen XLP and it has almost no flashback. This mod should work good though

Ultra slim