Video: Making Your Address Visible

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CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- A simple sign and a few letters could save a life.

That’s why the Chickasaw County Emergency Management Agency wants residents to buy reflective signs and stickers.

Responders said it’s frustrating when they get a call, knowing someone needs help, and they can’t find the right home.

But improving street addresses could make a big impact.

“It’s very important, it could be a life or death situation,” 911 Dispatcher Nancy Utz said.

“A person calls 911 and the emergency response vehicles, we can find your road fairly easily, but when we get to the houses that don’t have their numbers displayed, that’s where it delays time to get help,” Chickasaw County EMA director Linda Griffin said.

Griffin said emergency responders are constantly being delayed because they can’t find correct addresses.

“We’ll have some that have numbers that maybe faded or they never did put a number on the mailbox, on both sides,” Griffin said.

“You get out there and you have to call 911 and you have to find out what address it its and all that other stuff, it’s just hard to find them,” Houston Police Chief Billy Voyles said.

Now, the EMA wants home owners to help them by making addresses more visible.

“The quicker they get there, the quicker you get help and the better everybody is,” Utz said.

Homeowners are encouraged to buy three inch stickers for their mailboxes.

“If you put them on your mail box, you know, make sure you out them on both sides cause a fire truck, ambulance, law enforcement could come approach your house from either side,” Griffin said.

“If your mailbox is not on the same side of the road as your drive way, get a sign get a post or something and stick them on there so that it will reflect in the dark,” Utz said.

Griffin said there isn’t a penalty for not changing the address numbers, which are only a few dollars, but a delayed response could cost you precious time.
Clay County is also going through a similar transition with address changes.

Next week, residents will receive a post card in the mail, with their name, a picture of their house, and their address.

Homeowners must confirm that everything is up to date.

The reason behind this is because, a new mapping system will enhance 911 computerized apps, with precise accuracy and pictures of the area.