Life Signs

In the event of an emergency, locating the scene of an incident as quickly as possible is the first step in saving lives and property. Unfortunately, Black Lake Fire often responds to emergency calls that are difficult to locate. Why? More often than not, it is because a home is not clearly marked with a visible address. That's right! Take a look around as you drive and you will notice that many people do not have their driveways or homes visibly marked.

The following are a few suggestions that will help us find you in a timely manner:

• Mark both sides of your mailbox with your address in large, reflective numbers.
• If your driveway is shared by more than one house, clearly indicate this at the road with a listing of all the addresses on your drive.
• If your home is one of many houses on a driveway, have a sign at the junction that clearly identifies which house is which.
• If your home is visible from the street, place the numbers in large, six inch numbers on the house where they can clearly be seen from the street. Remember, your address should be visible both day and night.
• Trim bushes, trees, branches and bramble so that your address is easily seen.
• If you call 911 from your neighbor's home be sure to let the 911 dispatcher know the exact location of the emergency.
• Lastly, have someone go to the end of the driveway and wave us down if possible.

Thurston County code requires house numbers be no less than four inches in height. BLFD recommends a minimum of six inch numbers posted on your residence. The numbers should be visible and legible from the street or road that runs in front of your property and should be in a color that contrasts with the color of your residence.

Dark blue or black numbers on a light blue house or white house work well. On the other hand, brass or gold toned numbers on a beige house are difficult to see, especially in the dark.

The next time you drive through your neighborhood, imagine you are a firefighter or emergency medical response team. How easy is it to see your address from the road? Help us find you quickly by clearly posting your address. Your safety is our concern!