02 Dec 911 Address Public Awareness Campaign
MACOMB, IL — The Macomb/McDonough County 911 Dispatch Center has started a public awareness campaign to educate homeowners and property owners in McDonough County of the importance of properly posting their address. The PSA reads:
Posting your physical address at your home is more than a convenience for your mailman, it’s the law. Residents in McDonough County are required to visibly display their physical address on their mailbox and/or house. Sure it makes it easy for the mailman for the delivery of those special Christmas gifts that so many are expecting soon, but its more than that, way more. It may be the difference between life and death. Fire, police, and medical services are all dispatched by those very 911 addresses. Posting an address visibly helps emergency responders save vital seconds that may save you or a family member’s life.
Listen to the PSA:
This is an important issue to Emmet – Chalmers Firefighters. We frequently respond to emergencies and sometimes have a hard time finding the right address. Every second counts during an emergency. Valuable time can be lost if your house number is not clearly posted where emergency responders can see it. Firefighters, EMS responders, and police officers cannot provide emergency services to you or your family if we cannot find your house.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Can your house be found easily by passing cars?
- Is your house number easily found from the street?
- Can it be found quickly in an emergency?
- Can it be found at night?
- From a distance?
- When seconds count?
If the answer is NO, please consider putting up a new address sign with your house number.
Here are some recommendations:
- Post your address clearly and prominently at the end of your driveway and on your home
- Posting your 9-1-1 address at the driveway entrance and on your home will alleviate any confusion as to whether emergency responders have the correct location.
- Try using something reflective or illuminated so that it can be seen in the evening as well as during the day.
- Use large numbers and make sure it can be seen from all directions.
- Do not assume since your mailbox is marked, you have posted your address – mailboxes are not always at the entrance of a driveway and usually are not marked clearly on both sides.
We have some of the best equipment when responding to an emergency, but we need your help. Please help us locate emergencies by having your address marked where we can easily find it.
12/03/2014 – Update
We are working with local retailers to have these signs available for sale. More details soon.
12/15/2014 – Update
These 911 address signs should be available for purchase at:
Ace Hardware/West Side Lumber, 1301 W. Jackson Street, Macomb
RP Lumber, 9765 U.S. Highway 136, Macomb