Blocked Addresses Hinder First Responders

TCSO photo

Sonora, CA – Although the summer is winding down, fire season is still in full swing and in an emergency every second counts, so besides maintaining defensible space around your home, do not forget another important factor.

As Tuolumne County Sheriff’s spokesperson Sgt. Andrea Benson relays, “Law Enforcement, EMS, and fire often rely on visible house numbers to ensure they have arrived at the correct location. A badly displayed number can cost you precious time in an emergency.”

Residents are asked to take a minute and check on the visibility of address numbers. Sgt. Benson adds, “Can you tell what it is? Can others? If it’s not easy for you to see, it’s not for first responders either.”

The sheriff’s office provided this address checklist:

-Make it a point to look and see if all of the numbers are still there.
-Are they large enough to be seen easily from the street?
-Is there any vegetation, dirt, snow etc. covering them, limiting visibility?
-Are there decorative signs or flags obscuring the numbers?
-Can they be found at night? Try using something reflective or illuminated so that it can be seen in the evening as well as during the day.
-Use large numbers and make sure they can be seen from all directions.

Make sure to do the same if the numbers are on a mailbox. Additionally, Sgt. Benson advises, “If a house sits off the roadway and has a long driveway, make sure there is a mailbox or some sort of marker near the road to identify the home.”

Taking these steps could save a life.