By MAIRE O’NEILLIf you have ever driven the streets of Los Alamos in the dark when it is raining or snowing, desperately searching for a house number, you will understand why Los Alamos Fire Department is calling on property owners to maintain visible numbers on their houses.
LAFD Emergency Medical Services Division Chief Ben Stone explains that not being able to find a house number adds additional stress to an already stressful situation, especially when someone is critically ill or injured.
“Imagine yourself calling 911 for a family member or friend who is experiencing extreme chest pain. Responders are headed your way but it feels like you have been waiting forever. Little do you know that EMTs are less than a block away and unable to find your home,” Stone said.
Stone said not being able to easily find an address can add substantial time to an emergency response when seconds count.
“Something as little as having a visible number on a house or mailbox may be the difference between life and death,” he said.
LAFD personnel only have access to paper maps and do not have global positioning systems (GPS) on board.
The Los Alamos Municipal Code requires that buildings have an address number placed in a position to be plainly legible from the street or road fronting the property. The numbers are supposed to contrast with their background, be a minimum of four inches high and have a minimum stroke width of half an inch. According to Los Alamos County Community Development officials, they are not enforcing this provision of the Code.
Stone said some homes in Pajarito Acres are a cause for concern because there is no indication of the house number at the end of their driveways. He suggested putting the house number on a post or mailbox near the street so that it can be clearly seen.
“Sometimes emergency responders end up driving around using a hunting light to find an address. Time matters and sadly lots of people don’t want to spend the $20 to put numbers on their houses,” Stone said.
He suggested taking a look at your home number from the street at night to see if is completely visible and legible, and whether there is adequate lighting for someone to read it if they are not familiar with the home. He also suggested putting the home number on both sides of mailboxes because emergency vehicles may approach a home from either direction.
