If we can't find you and get to you quickly, we can't help you.
If emergency personnel (ambulance, fire, police) are available at Chimicum, it will take them about six (6) minutes to get to the SOUTH end of the Island and about eight (8) minutes to get to the NORTH end. Each second is precious and can save your life.
Every second that emergency personnel are delayed trying to find and get to you could mean the difference between life and death, or the success of protecting your property.
You can help emergency personnel help you by providing them with 1) 911 red fire signs that meet standards and 2) safe and adequate access to your home.
Read this important post (below) from Al Smith, Company Officer, EJFR Sta. 12, Marrowstone about their delayed response to a serious medical emergency because there was NO address sign available. (Post on Island Net)
Everyone:
This is a very important message. I just returned from a serious medical emergency. It was a situation made worse by the fact that we were unable to locate the residence, due to the fact that there were NO address signs posted for this particular residence.
The situation was made more confusing, as the addresses on this road are a little out of sequence, as you arrive at a higher address before the lower one we were looking for, which was down yet another unmarked drive. The department has hammered on this before, but I wanted to take this opportunity to make the point again. This was a patient that needed to be seen quickly, but our response was delayed unnecessarily, for several minutes. Those minutes are very critical.
There was one more thing that added to the confusion here. The road where this incident occurred is not marked with a standard green name sign, and more than one responding unit drove past, and more time was wasted as a result. The road in question here is marked with a nice wooden sign posted at a level lower than expected, and can be seen from only ONE direction. To ALL who live on similarly marked roads, I strongly suggest that you get a standard sign in place. Not everyone who responds here lives on the island or knows where the road is. Responders have the expectation of seeing standard markings.
I cannot emphasize enough, the importance of having your home marked so as to be easily located. Get as many address signs as you need, in order to help us respond to you quickly. Medical emergencies and fires don't wait for us. Please help us help you.
Al Smith
Company Officer
EJFR Sta. 12, Marrowstone
Start at the top of your driveway and use this "problems" checklist to inspect your 911 red fire sign(s). These 911 red fire signs are the only way emergency personnel can locate your home. We suggest that you print this web page and bring it with you to inspect your signs and access to your home.
__ There is no sign at the county road or driveway head.
__ Number on house but not at county road or driveway head.
__ No number on house.
__ Sign number is incorrect.
__ Emergency call was to an ADU (Auxiliary Dwelling Unit) but there was no sign to make that distinction. (Get enough 911 signs and add "A" to each to direct responders to the ADU.)
__ Need additional sign(s) where road forks. (If multiple houses use a common access driveway, a second or even third address sign may be necessary.)
__ Only one side of sign is in view. (What if emergency personnel passed your driveway and had to come back from the other side.)
__ Sign face is flat to the road. (The sign should be perpendicular to the road so it can be seen coming from EITHER direction. It should be clearly visible from hundreds of feet away.)
__ Sign set too far back for Emergency Vehicle to see.
__ Vegetation growth covers sign
__ Sign is old and hard to read.
__ Sign hung upside down.
Replacement or additional 911 red fire sign(s) are available M-Th for $20 (as of 3/18/2013) through Jefferson County Community Development Office, 621 Sheridan, 379-4450.
If you have never had a sign for your property, the cost is $228 (as of 3/18/2013).
Fire engines and aid cars need 11 feet of horizontal clearance and 13 ½ feet of vertical clearance to ensure rapid arrival and departure to and from your residence. Tight turns can prevent access.
Use this "problems" checklist to survey your road access.
__ At some point driveway width (< 11') is too narrow.
__ At some point driveway vertical clearance (<13 ½') is too low.
__ Driveway has tight turns which could prevent access of emergency vehicles.
Please correct problems as soon as possible so responders can get to you easily and quickly.
(Private)