Posting address along riverfront can save lives

Officials with the Emergency 911 system reported to St. Johns County local news reporters at Historic City News that they are wrapping up a project to notify everyone who lives on the river about the importance of numbering their docks.

St. Johns County has 125 miles of waterways and many homes are located on the water.

“Emergency calls may require a response from a waterway which can create a real problem in locating the incident or a victim,” said St. Johns County Sheriff’s Sergeant Dale Mitchell, E-911 Coordinator.

“These incidents can range from looking for an Alzheimer’s patient who has wandered away, to toxic spills in the water, or a boating accident,” Mitchell said. “Posted addresses on docks would allow marine officers to locate you more quickly should they be nearby in the water.”

Since November, officials have been contacting residents along the St. Johns River and Intracoastal Waterway; leaving literature explaining this special need for emergency responders in their area who may not be driving a vehicle.

More than 500 addresses on the St. Johns River have already been contacted, and it is hoped that those who reside adjacent to the Intracoastal Waterway will be contacted during the final three weeks.

The 911 personnel are hoping that all of the homes on the rivers have posted numbers as the boating season ramps up.

The minimum height of the numerical portion of your address is recommended to be 5 inches. The street name may be posted in 3 inch letters should you have limited space.

The size and shape of the address posting will depend on your situation. The address may be displayed either horizontally or vertically, but keep in mind that they should be clearly visible and legible from the waterside, regardless of the direction of approach.

You can use either 5 inch reflective numbers and letters from a store, or the same size letters in white on a blue sign from a sign shop. The choice is yours.

Posting your address on the waterside of your property is a simple, often overlooked solution that could save lives. The address can be posted on your dock, boathouse, or on a fence, wall, post or other structure that is visible and legible from the water.