Did you know the Purchase Fire Department covers over 20 miles of highway?

The two Interstates (I-287 and I-684) and one Parkway (Hutchinson River) make up a large portion of the calls that we responded to on a daily basis. Due to challenging access points, automatic aid is set up with our neighboring departments for these highways to ensure a quick response. In 2021, we operated out on the highway 121 times.

Below is a breakdown of our Highway Responses in 2021:

Interstate 287:​ 61

Interstate 684:​​ 25

Hutchinson River Parkway:​ 35

You may also wonder why emergency service personnel block additional lanes of traffic with their vehicles on the highway. When fire, police or EMS personnel are operating on a highway scene safety is of utmost importance. We block additional lanes to prevent a secondary accident from happening so we can safely attend to those who are injured. We use our vehicles to shield between the motorists and emergency service personnel working on the scene.

If you see us blocking out on a highway, we ask you follow a few simple rules to ensure safety for everyone.

• Slow down and move over when you see flashing lights.
• Don’t rubberneck. Keep moving and focus on the road ahead.
• Follow New York States Move Over Law

Move Over Law:

New York’s Move Over Law is described under VTL 1144-A (a), which states that drivers must use due care to avoid a collision when approaching an emergency or hazard vehicle that displays red or any combination of red, white or blue emergency lighting in addition to flashing amber lighting, or blue or green lighting.

The purpose of the Move Over Law is to help make the roads safer for at-risk workers like EMTs, firefighters, police officers, tow truck drivers, highway workers, utility workers, and the like, therefore the penalties for violating the Move Over Law can be unforgiving.

We thank you for your cooperation.