Volunteer fire and rescue crews in Woodbridge are urging home owners to be prepared to be rescued.
If a fire or any other emergency breaks out at a home, rescue crews and fire fighters need to be able to clearly see the house number posted on each home as quickly as possible, officials said.
If the numbers aren’t posted, it could take longer for help to arrive in the event of an emergency.Poor weather and visibility conditions, as well as darkness could slow first responders from rescuing patients, said Occoquan-Woodbridge-Lorton Volunteer Fire Department spokeswoman Rebecca Barnes.
[The numbers] need to be readable, complete and not hidden by trees, bushes or other obstacles. If your home cannot be seen from the street, are the numbers visible on a mailbox, gate, fence or placard? Is the address well lit and on a background of contrasting color? Do your house numbers face the street you live on?” asked Barnes.
To improve visibility, Barnes said to use five-inch lettering on a portion of the home that it facing the street.
Replacing old or worn numbers with those that have a reflective surface, or background of a different color can also be helpful, she added.
The numbers should also be added to both sides of mailboxes that sit along the side of the street.
