Is your home address clearly visible from the road?
If not, an emergency response to your home might be delayed. That according to Overton County Emergency Communications Director Chris Masiongale.
“Those ambulances are running up and down the road trying to get there as quickly as they can, but they’re having to slow down to stop and look at the mailboxes,” Masiongale said. “A lot of times the numbers aren’t even there, so they’ll fall back on the dispatcher to give a description of the home and try to figure the puzzle out.”
Masiongale said the issue has become a problem for emergency crews trying to locate homes. He said stolen street signs have also created an issue.
“The quicker that we can get there, the better chance we have of that person surviving,” Masiongale said. “when those signs are gone, they have to really rely on the dispatcher to get where they are going, along with their personal knowledge of the area as well.”
A Facebook post from the Overton County Sheriff’s Office on Wednesday encouraged residents to make changes if addresses cannot be seen from the road.
“If you don’t have a mailbox we recommend that you take a four-by-four post and put it at the end of your driveway,” Masiongale said. “Put those big numbers on there that are reflective. We also recommend that you put those numbers on the house.”
Masiongale said you should also make sure to keep trees and grass trimmed around the sign.
