Will emergency responders be able to find your home?
Will they be able to get there?
When your loved one is having a heart attack or your
home is on fire is no time to start thinking about this.
The requirements here may seem strict, but they all exist for one purpose:
Helping emergency personnel
to find and help you!
Things YOU should do are headed in RED
Things your Road Association AND/OR YOU should do are headed in PURPLE
HOUSE ADDRESS SIGN
Your
house number sign must be visible
from the road from 100 feet in both
directions in a fire engine’s headlights.
It should be metal and have reflective,
contrasting numbers at least 3 inches
tall. If there are several driveways off
your road, use arrows to make it obvious
which one is yours.
Green “911 Address Plate” packets are available at
most hardware stores or from the Fire Safe Council.
NOTE: If your number is on your mailbox, make sure
the numerals are big, on both sides -- and that the
little red “mail pickup” flag doesn’t hide them!
TURNAROUNDS
All driveways
and dead-end roads must have
places where large fire vehicles can
turn around. These can be cul-desacs
with at least a 40-foot radius, or
places for a 3-point turn. Fire chiefs
will not send their engines to places
where they cannot turn around.
TURNOUTS
In a wildfire,
fire equipment will be entering
while you may be trying to
leave. Build frequent turnouts
along any roads less than 20
feet wide, so vehicles can pass
each other and get to safety.
ROAD AND DRIVEWAY CLEARANCE
Fire engines are big and tall. To give them
access, remove tree branches up to 15 FEET
above the road surface.
To give them safe
passage during a wildfire, remove brush
and branches 10 FEET from both sides of all
roads and driveways, wherever possible.
BRIDGES AND CULVERTS
Fire
engines can weigh 40,000 pounds. If
your bridge or culvert can’t support
this weight, ask a civil engineer about
strengthening or replacing it. Placard
your bridge with its weight allowance.
ROAD SIGNS
Make sure there
are road name signs at every
intersection leading to your
home. Signs should be made of
metal and have reflective letters
at least 4 inches tall. If there is
any possibility whatsoever of
confusion, use arrows to indicate
which road goes which direction.
DEAD END ROADS
Mark such roads at their
beginning with signs
that say “Dead End” or
“No Outlet.”
DID YOU KNOW?
A bulldozer on a lowboy
transport is 10 feet wide and up to 60 feet long!
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