Don’t gamble with safety; be sure first responders can find you

Would you gamble $20 or $30 and risk your safety and that of your family? Of course, you wouldn’t, but that’s what many folks have made the decision to do by not having their residence properly marked with house numbers.

The oversight, which generally costs less than $30 to fix, can delay emergency response while they search for a house or business, and minutes and seconds can make all the difference in an emergency.

Kenny Staggs is the addressing coordinator for Warren County. He is tasked with providing information to 911 that determines where actual structures are located. Staggs says he often finds no visible address numbers on mailboxes and houses, or finds numbers the same color as their background, making them virtually invisible.

Staggs says county and city ordinances require houses to have numbers at least 3 inches in height and visible in both directions. When multiple houses are located on one roadway, the numbers are often posted only on the mailboxes on the road. If that’s true for your home, you need clearly visible numbers on the structures as well.

Homeowners not in compliance with the law can be fined $10 per day.

Here are a few additional tips when posting numbers on your home:

1. Stay away from cursive writing.
2. The bigger, the better, but at least 3 inches high.
3. Use reflective numbers.
4. Avoid painting numbers on the curb because they can be obstructed by debris and vehicles.
5. Install an outdoor motion light.
6. Display the number on both the house and the mailbox
7. Put numbers on both sides of the mailbox

When calling 911, answer the questions as asked. Give clear concise directions to your location. Know well-known landmarks that will help first responders reach you (for example, three-point-two miles from Redwood School on the south side of the road).

Please take this issue seriously. The life you save may be your own.