Enjoy 
This should print to the console what the current status is:
/*
|| A police light imitator
|| One control the lights using five switches. One light on/off switch, and four mode switches or state swithes.
|| This will give the user the oppertunity to choose between four animations/patterns/modes and also to shut it off, or turn it on.
||
|| Contributed:
|| Alexander Brevig
*///setup code
#define DEBUG 1 //0 if serial debugging is to be turned off
#define PULLUP 1 //0 if pulldown resistors are used
#define SWITCH_PRESSED (!PULLUP)//define states
#define LIGHT_STATE_1 0
#define LIGHT_STATE_2 1
#define LIGHT_STATE_3 2
#define LIGHT_STATE_4 3//variables
#define LIGHT_ON_SWITCH 0 //array index 0 == pin 8, will be the on/off switch for the lights
#define NUMBER_OF_PINS 5
byte switchPin[NUMBER_OF_PINS] = { 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 }; //8 is on/off switch, 9-12 will be control switches
boolean switchValues[NUMBER_OF_PINS] = { 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 , 0 };byte currentState = LIGHT_STATE_1;
void setup() {
//configure all switchPins as INPUT
for (byte i=0; i<NUMBER_OF_PINS; i++){
pinMode(switchPin*,INPUT);*
- if (PULLUP){*
- //if the internal pullup resistor is to be used, turn it on*
_ digitalWrite(switchPin*,HIGH);_
_ }_
_ }_
_ if (DEBUG) { Serial.begin(9600); }_
_}_
void loop(){
_ //set all states*_
* for (byte i=0; i<NUMBER_OF_PINS; i++){
if (digitalRead(switchPin)==SWITCH_PRESSED){
_ switchValues=true;
}else{
switchValues=false;
}
}*_* //if lighs are on*
* if (switchValues[LIGHT_ON_SWITCH]){
_ //do logic*
* for (byte i=1; i<NUMBER_OF_PINS; i++){*
if (switchValues*){
currentState = i;
switchValues = false; //this state is now acted upon, flush it.
}
}
//execute current state*
* switch (currentState){_
case LIGHT_STATE_1: lightState1(); break;
case LIGHT_STATE_2: lightState2(); break;
case LIGHT_STATE_3: lightState3(); break;
case LIGHT_STATE_4: lightState4(); break;
_ }
}else{//if light are to be shut off, do so:
lightsOff();
}
}
void lightState1(){
//TODO - implement pattern 1*
* if (DEBUG) { Serial.println("lightState1"); }
}
void lightState2(){
//TODO - implement pattern 2*
* if (DEBUG) { Serial.println("lightState2"); }
}
void lightState3(){
//TODO - implement pattern 3*
* if (DEBUG) { Serial.println("lightState3"); }
}
void lightState4(){
//TODO - implement pattern 4*
* if (DEBUG) { Serial.println("lightState4"); }
}
void lightsOff(){
//TODO - implement lightsOff*
* if (DEBUG) { Serial.println("lightsOff"); }
}
[/quote]*_