Is your house number putting you in danger?

Part of my job is to make sure our readers get their newspapers. From time to time I find myself out and about looking for addresses so I can deliver a newspaper. Sometimes it is before daylight when I am conducting these searches.

Something I have discovered is that there are a large number of homes in Garland County that do not have their addresses visible. The address cannot be found on the mailbox, curb or home. In many cases, you can see where the address was posted at one time, but weather and age have deteriorated it to the point that it is no longer legible. This makes newspaper delivery challenging, to say the least.

No address, I would assume, is also an issue for delivery services, postal services and utility service providers. Without your address properly posted, they may not be able to find you and provide service.

My concern about this issue increased when I thought about emergency personnel, such as ambulance, police or fire, trying to find the house when there was no visible address. By making sure your address is visible, you allow emergency responders to locate you faster. A visitor, child or an injured person may be unable to give clear directions to a 911 operator. New emergency personnel may be unfamiliar with your area. Seconds count in an emergency!

Many communities have felt so strongly about this issue that they have passed laws requiring a visible, physical address on all homes. I don’t know if we need to take this issue to that level, but it is definitely something to think about when considering the difference a few seconds can make in determining life or death.

Information released by FEMA states that fire doubles in size every minute given the right conditions. The report goes on to say, for every minute that passes without CPR and/or defibrillation during a cardiac event, the chances of survival decrease by 7-10 percent. This means that finding your address promptly is vitally important during emergencies.

Here are some guidelines for maximizing the visibility of your house numbers.

• House numbers should be posted near the front door, above eye level and within an area illuminated by a porch light. This is preferable to less obvious places, such as above the garage door. If this position is not possible, post house numbers on mailbox or curb.

• The numbers should be readily visible from 50 feet away. Numbers should be at least 4 inches tall or larger. The bigger the numbers, the better chances emergency personnel see them quickly.

• House numbers should be plain block numbers, not script or written numbers.

• Numbers should be visible from both directions of travel. Check periodically to make sure that trees, bushes or shrubs haven’t obscured the numbers.

• House numbers should be a color that contrasts with the background. For example, if your house is painted a dark color, the numbers should be a light color. They should not blend with the background. Brass and bronze numbers tend to be difficult to see on many backgrounds.

• House numbers are the most important. It is not necessary to include the street name on your house or mailbox, especially if it forces a reduction in the physical size of the numbers.

I ask that if your home is one that the address has faded or is no longer visible at all, take a few minutes and make the address visible from the street. This small chore could mean the difference between life and death for you or a member of your family. You want your address to be a help to emergency personnel, not a hindrance. Properly displaying your house numbers could save you or your family’s life.