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Letter: New Canaan Fire Marshal: Number Your Homes

The Daily Voice accepts signed and original letters to the editor. To submit your letter email mmason@dailyvoice.com.

Letter to the Editor:

Emergency responders are still having problems finding homes because house numbers are not clearly displayed. Put yourself in the emergency responder’s shoes – police, fire or EMS – you are responding to a reported child choking and time is ticking away. You are driving down the street, watching the mailboxes for house numbers – some have them and some don’t – and you cannot find the one you are looking for.  You can see the frustration – which one is it?

We have all been there. Driving to an unfamiliar area and trying to find a given address. If you know the name and it is on the mailbox, maybe you can find your destination. But, if there is no name or street number on the mailbox or house, how do you know if you are at the right place? Where are you? Where is the house? This sounds like a simple question, but in an emergency, it can be the difference between life and death.

Having your street or house number clearly posted so that emergency responders can easily find your home is critical, and it is something that you have to do to protect yourself. If you have a long, shared driveway, directional signs are a must. Precious time is lost every day when public safety personnel try to locate an address and all they see are blank mailboxes staring back at them. If there is a number on the box and/or house, then their job is much easier and you get the help you need faster.

Please clearly post your street numbers on the mailbox – preferably with 4-inch-high, contrasting numbers. Weed & Duryea has a large selection of numbers available. If you have any questions about how to mark your home, please call the New Canaan Fire Marshal’s Office at 203-594-3030.

Fred BakerNew Canaan Fire Marshal

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