Wanted: Clearly Marked Addresses

Visualize driving through a residential neighborhood or a rural road late at night attempting to locate an address. Compound your dilemma and frustration by placing yourself in the driver's seat of a fire apparatus, ambulance or police car responding to an emergency where seconds may mean the difference between life and death.

This frustration is all too often experienced by fire, police and EMS personnel due to the fact that many people do not mark their home address properly or provide their home address number at all. The recent implementation of the new mailing addresses for the enhanced 911 program has even complicated the problem. Failing to provide clearly marked addresses may cause disastrous results when seconds may mean the difference.

Take the time to properly mark your home address. The Staunton Fire Department would like of offer the following tips for home address installations:

- Place address numbers/letters that are at least four inches tall near the front entrance or in a location that is clearly visibly from the street. Block letters and numbers are greatly preferred rather than scripted lettering.

- Address numbers should be provided in a color which is contrasted from the color of your home. For example, light colors on dark colored home.

- For apartment and other buildings with multiple occupancies, place a sign at the main entrance of the building outlining all of the address located within the occupancy. Each apartment should also have its specific address marked on the front entrance.

- All businesses are encouraged to clearly identify their address number on the front of their buildings.

- For single driveways leading to multiple residences, affix a sign containing all of the addresses of all residences at the entrance of the main driveway. At the intersection of the individual driveways, affix a sign with an address for the specific residence with an arrow pointing towards the residence.

- Consider painting your address number in four inch lettering on the curb, sidewalk or and end of your driveway.

- Install lighting that will illuminate your address number. Illumination of your address at night is a great help to emergency responders.

The Staunton Fire Protection District would also like to remind residents that with the initiation of the new addresses for the enhanced 911 system, the use of the old fire district numbers has been discontinued. Residents should use their street addresses when requesting emergency assistance.

Remember, the next emergency may be yours. Proper addressing will assist your local emergency services in promptly dealing with your emergency.