Address signage for shared driveways to be required.

West Pikeland supervisors, Kimberton Fire Company officials worked together to create the new signage requirement

WEST PIKELAND >> Township supervisors and firefighters worked together to develop address numbering approaches for residences with a shared driveway to multiple homes. Officials said that the required ref lective numbering on mailboxes will help first responders locate these residences during an emergency.

The ordinance drafted and adopted by supervisors requires 4-inch-high reflective lettering at mailboxes, shared driveway entrances when mailboxes are located elsewhere, and at branches from the shared driveway into individual residences. Numbers on mailboxes should be on both sides of the mailbox or support post, according to the township, unless several mailboxes are side by side and then numbers should appear on the front of each mailbox.

This enacted street number plan for shared driveways was in response to emergency services having difficulty locating a particular address to provide medical assistance, according to supervisors and firefighters. The township is served by Kimberton and Lionville Fire companies and Uwchlan Ambulance Corps.

The Kimberton Fire Company firefighters were instrumental in working with the supervisors, according to Kimberton Deputy Chief Chuck Fields.

He noted that it is common in the rural areas of the township that several homes could be located on a private lane, and some areas have driveways that may divide to dirt roads, then to farmland or open space. He said first responders need to quickly locate the homes during emergencies, which they can do more easily if there are signs indicating the address numbers. He said the fire company leaders spoke with the supervisors after there was a delay in a medical response, and the supervisors wanted to proactively help the first responders.

Fields noted that farmland and driveways to farms are tougher to find without a sign, although they still encourage all residences to place the reflective numbering on their mailboxes. The fire company has preplans – advanced planning of travel routes and locations — for the responding units. However, Fields said the reflective numbers are necessary to help first responders to locate the home during an emergency.

He said the firefighters are saying “help us, help you. We can’t help you if we can’t find you.”

“Finding the address numbers at night that are not reflective are very difficult,” Fields said. He added that it is easier for the first responders to identify the house address if it is posted on the mailbox near the street and not just on the home.

“We need everyone to participate,” Fields said. “It’s so much easier when you see 10, 12, 14 and you’re looking for 18.”

While not required by other residences, the supervisors and firefighters encouraged all residents to use the reflective lettering.

The two-sided reflective address signs are available through the fire company for $15 each. The proceeds benefit the fire company to fund the emergency services that it provides to West Pikeland, West Vincent, East Pikeland, East Vincent and Charlestown, which is nearly 32 square miles in Chester County. The firefighters noted these townships have imposed similar ordinances.

Kimberton firefighters offered to volunteer their time to assist residents who request help mounting the signs. To request help, purchase a sign or for ad- ditional information, visit www.kimbertonfire.org/ content/address. Township officials said reflective 5-inch numbers are available from hardware stores.

Fields said that signs for a group of homes or driveways that split off would benefit from having arrows on the sign indicating the direction of the respective home.

“That’s something that we couldn’t do, but we would love to see done,” Fields said.

He noted that residents could order that from Weigand, Inc., in Phoenixville, which can design custom signs for a group of homes. The sign is placed in the road or near the road to be visible. Weigand employees said they commonly create those signs. The cost of the sign depends on its size.

“We need that help finding the homes,” Fields said.

Fields said that the reflective address makers are especially important because of population growth and volunteers who live out of town. It is no longer common for firefighters to know everyone and where they live in town.

The township ordinance states that when an owner purchases property that does not have a number, they should apply to the building code officer who will assign the address number.

If there are violations of the ordinance, including the absence of a street number and not meeting the visibility requirements, a notice will be mailed to residents to comply within 15 days. The ordinance further states that residents who are found guilty of a summary offense in a summary proceeding before a magisterial district judge could be fined up to $1,000. In a default of payment, the defendant may be imprisoned for up to 90 days, the ordinance states.

Township supervisors unanimously adopted the ordinance at their June 20