Address signs are crucial in emergency

Jessica Luton
The Union-Recorder

May 26, 2009 08:00 am

— Picture this: An emergency arises at your home or business.
You diligently pick up the phone, dial 9-1-1 and the appropriate emergency personnel are dispatched to help you.
You wait as patiently as you can in an emergency situation and finally get a call back from dispatch stating that they need more information on your location.
In your time of need, a clearly marked numerical sign is the best way for emergency personnel is find you and respond in a timely manner.
If you’re in need of a numerical marker for your home, head on over to one of the two Baldwin County Fire Rescue stations that are selling these blue, reflective emergency signs.
For just $10, someone at the Hardwick station, located at 312 Allen Memorial Drive, or the Central State Hospital station, located at 261 Mobley Road, will make one of these signs to ensure that your home or business can be found in case of an emergency.
These two stations have the supplies to make your customized sign and you can wait while they make it or come back and get it, said Baldwin County Firefighter Brandon Barth.
For an additional $5, you can pick up a post, too.
Barth said that having these signs is imperative to a quick response time in an emergency.
“It’s beneficial,” he said. “It helps us all. At nighttime, if you’re trying to find a house, it saves us from driving up and down the road looking for a home. Oftentimes, there are no street lights and it’s dark and difficult to locate a home.”
In addition, buying one of these markers at one of the local county fire stations helps firefighters because a small portion of the fee for a sign goes into a petty cash fund that helps pay for household goods such as toilet paper and paper towels at the stations, he said.
If you’re interested in purchasing a sign, simply stop by one of the two stations. For more information, call (478) 445-4421.

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