Could we find YOUR house in an emergency?

You have an emergency at your house and you call 9-1-1. You speak with the dispatcher and give important information over the phone.  The dispatcher takes your information and tells you that the police, fire department and ambulance are responding.  However, it seems like it’s taking a long time for responders to arrive at the scene…

Meanwhile, the responders have arrived in the area and are trying to locate your house, but they can’t find it.  The house doesn’t have any easily identifiable numbers on it and the mailbox is hard to see…

In an emergency, police, fire and emergency medical service personnel depend on house numbers to find you as quickly as possible.  Finding your home, especially at night can be very challenging if address numbers are unreadable, hidden, unlighted or missing.  This may delay emergency responders from getting to you as quickly as possible.

Think about your own house; are your house numbers visible from the street?  Are they set on a background of contrasting color that can be easily seen?  If your house is hidden from the street, are your numbers attached to a visible fence, mailbox, gate or stone? If you share a common driveway with a neighbor and have a forked driveway, is your house number displayed visibly at the fork?  If you live on a corner, does your house number face the street named in your address?

Please make sure your house is well marked, either at the mailbox and/or on the structure.  The more clearly your house is marked the easier responders will be able to identify it and quickly arrive.

Remember, the Town of Madison has an ordinance on this:  Chapter 19 – Streets and Sidewalks; Article II - Street signs and building numbers; Sec. 19-24 Sign and number specifications.  http://www.madisonct.org/clerk/town/ordinances.html

The Town of Madison Office of Emergency Management also has house numbering tips.  http://www.madisonct.org/EmergencyManagement.htm