“🪧 Civic Address Initiative, Part 2.”
Firefighters across the Annapolis Valley and Nova Scotia struggle on a regular basis to locate incidents due to poor visibility of civic signs or lack thereof.
Fire departments respond to a various range of calls from, structure fires, smoke conditions, electrical fires, chimney fires, fire alarms, medical calls, car accidents and the list goes on.
In most cases incidents are typically visible prior to arriving. Examples of such are structure fires or car accidents.
There are times when long driveways lead well off the road, homes are not visible and callers are not available to pin point the location. The lack of a civic address or improperly displayed civic signs can cost vital seconds in the event of an emergency.
Even when a civic address does not appear, dispatchers use this to help reference locations for emergency services, having this displayed can help when responding.
In Nova Scotia, it is the responsibility of the property owner for obtaining and displaying their civic address, to ensure they can be easily located.
It’s highly recommended to have a blue and white reflective sign, to ensure your address can be located during day and night.
Having your sign at the end of the driveway, elevated and facing all directions is crucial for emergency services to easily identify your property.
While technology has come along way and tools like tablets are available to help locate emergencies, they are not always reliable.
Civic signs are used on a regular basis to help narrow down a location.
Last week I highlighted the Coldbrook Lions Club and the importance of civic signs and suppliers.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing key reasons why agencies who protect and serve our communities rely on these crucial signs and mandatory signs the event of an emergency.
⚠️ Please Note: Civic addresses are used each and everyday for emergencies, carrier companies, delivery companies, nurses etc.
It is your responsibility to ensure you have a sign, displayed easily, appropriately and maintained.
If you are looking to get a civic sign or unsure what your civic number is you can reach out to your local municipality for a list of suppliers or additional information.
Your local municipality is responsible for assigning such numbers.
Adrian J.
