Helping emergency responders help you

[peterb]

Speaking as a rural volunteer firefighter/EMT....

One of the easiest things you can do to help your family in an emergency is to have a house number that's easy to read from the street. It's frustrating for everyone involved when we're delayed because we can't find the address. Those tasteful bronze numbers on driftwood, the wrought-iron script, the kid-painted mailbox---they're all damn near invisible from the driver's seat at 2AM.

It's simple: if you can't easily read your house number from the road at night, you should do something better.

What we like are big(3" minimum) reflective numbers, as close to the road as possible, facing both directions. It's even better if you add a set next to the garage door so that when we pull into the driveway we know we've got the right house.

Also: Turning on all the lights is a big help if the call is at night. And have someone stay on the phone with the 911 dispatcher if you can -- they can relay information to the folks who are responding while they are talking to you.

Thanks!

[orionz06]

It baffles me how people can get by without a clearly marked house, mailbox, and driveway entrance (if necessary).

[JMorse]

Great advice, Peter. Many a time we drive by a house with red lights and sirens going because I didn't see the numbers.

I wish we had volunteer EMT services here, I miss doing it very much.

[Odin Bravo One]

It baffles me how people can get by without a clearly marked house, mailbox, and driveway entrance (if necessary).

It's easy........and I prefer it. USPS and UPS manage to find the mailbox, it's good enough for me. When I get my dream of moving back to rural America, it will be as close to impossible as I can make it to find my house.

[JConn]

I wonder when gps units will be standard equipment for emergency responders, or are they now and they are not accurate enough?

[derekb]

I wonder when gps units will be standard equipment for emergency responders, or are they now and they are not accurate enough?

I drive to unknown locations using GPS every day, and I can tell you right now that 'in the vicinity' isn't always 'at the place you want to be.'

[Dr. No]

I wonder when gps units will be standard equipment for emergency responders, or are they now and they are not accurate enough?

We have GPS. The problem is that a number of intoxicated monkeys came out and numbered houses, blocks, and "sides" of residences. I've been to neighborhoods where the house numbers are in no feasible pattern. I've had to have dispatch call back the complainant because the "third blue trailer on the right after the big oak near the front sign" .... didn't help one bit.

[Jac]

It's easy........and I prefer it. USPS and UPS manage to find the mailbox, it's good enough for me. When I get my dream of moving back to rural America, it will be as close to impossible as I can make it to find my house.

+1 bazillion.

[MikeyC]

It's easy........and I prefer it. USPS and UPS manage to find the mailbox, it's good enough for me. When I get my dream of moving back to rural America, it will be as close to impossible as I can make it to find my house.

To play devil's advocate. That's a fine idea until you're having a stroke and cant move to get to where someone can see you. If the house is on fire we'll find a column of smoke and maybe fire in the air to get us there. Maybe. But if you suddenly found out the bad way you're allergic to peanut butter things get dicey quick. I've found almost as many people in the city from citizens standing in the streets waving their arms as I have from addresses.

[LittleLebowski]

It's easy........and I prefer it. USPS and UPS manage to find the mailbox, it's good enough for me. When I get my dream of moving back to rural America, it will be as close to impossible as I can make it to find my house.

Still dreaming of being a chinchilla farmer?