A matter of numbers

Pine Haven’s council has asked on behalf of the first responders and ultimately of the residents in the area for homeowners to put their house numbers on a clearly viewable post or sign at the entrance to the property. This will ensure that the ambulance and/or fire trucks can quickly ascertain where to go.

Volunteer Fire Chief Don Lancaster is again appealing to people who live in and around Pine Haven: “We have an issue with trying to find some of these residences because they have no house numbers out by the main roads that tells us which house is which, particularly in these outlying areas outside of Pine Haven and even in some areas in town.”

The emergency responders attended an ambulance call Monday morning, the chief continued, “and there were no numbers on the houses. If people would put their number in big numbers right out by their drive way that turns off the main road, it would certainly make it a lot faster response time from us”.

These numbers should be clearly visible as the vehicles are coming up to the drive and preferably reflective in headlights. They can be attached to a sturdy fence post or even one of the flat confirmation/Identification signs (trail logos) used by the forest service on trails, they pound into the ground like a standard post and both of these can be painted to blend to not be obtrusive, showing just the numbers. They will also, if set well, will always stand above snow level.

No one knows if or when they will need to make that 911 call, but when every minute matters, giving first responders the information they need to find you can be the difference between life and death.