First responders: Large, clear house numbers needed when finding you in an emergency
First responders rushing to offer police, fire and emergency services can be delayed if home address numbers can’t be easily seen from the street.
“We want to get to you quickly,” said Pete Piringer, chief spokesperson for Montgomery County, Maryland’s fire and rescue service. “Finding your home, especially at night, can be challenging if address numbers that are unreadable, hidden, unlighted or have missing numbers.”
Montgomery County has code requirements to make sure a house number is easy to read from the street.
Existing homes are required to have home numbering that’s at least 3.5 inches high, Piringer said. “However, new residential home numbers must be at least 5 inches high,” and if you replace current home numbers, they must also be 5 inches tall.
Piringer said home numbers should be posted near the front door and be visible from the street.
“If the door’s not easily seen from the street, put the numbers on a fence, post, tree or something near the driveway entrance, so it can clearly be seen,” he said.
Numbers should be placed on a contrasting background, with a reflective coating for easy visibility at night. And homeowners should prune bushes, tree limbs or other growth that cover house numbers, according to Piringer.
He also said all members of a home should know their street address, to provide that information to an emergency call-taker, “as well as making sure we can see your numbers on your home, so we can find you and get you help quickly.”