‘Your house number could make all the difference in an emergency’
Homeowners are urged to maintain and properly position their property signage to ensure emergency vehicles locate them without critical delays.
Clearly visible house numbers help emergency responders reach residents faster, particularly when properties are difficult to identify from the street.
Charnel Hattingh, group head of marketing and communications at Fidelity Services Group, urges homeowners to ensure their house numbers are clearly displayed and easy to read, both during the day and at night.
Although satellite navigation has made finding addresses easier, reaching the correct area does not mean emergency responders can easily identify the right property. Small, faded or obscured house numbers can make the task more difficult and potentially delay assistance during a fire, medical emergency or criminal incident.
When residents call for emergency assistance, establishing the location is a priority for dispatchers, as this information is relayed to the fire department, police or ambulance.
Responders rely on visible numbers
It is crucial that responders can find a property easily and quickly. They can only do this if a clearly visible house number is displayed, rather than having someone waiting outside to flag down an emergency vehicle.
Hattingh recommends 10 practical steps to make properties easier to locate:
• Check visibility: Stand in the street to check whether the house number is clearly visible during the day and at night.
• Properties set back from the road: If the home cannot be seen from the street, display the number clearly at the entrance to the driveway or on the kerb.
• Shared driveways: Where multiple homes share a driveway, ensure all addresses are visible at the entrance and at each individual property.
• Use large, readable numbers: Avoid numbering that is too small or difficult to read.
• Choose a prominent position: Display the number where it can easily be seen on the property perimeter, using more than one number if necessary.
• Consider alternative locations: A postbox, the area above the garage door or the kerb may also be suitable.
• Use contrasting colours: Choose a number colour that stands out against the background.
• Keep numbers unobstructed: Trim trees, foliage and other vegetation that could hide the house number.
• Maintain signage: Regularly check for wear and tear, and replace numbers that have faded, become damaged or are difficult to read.
• Ask for advice: Security companies can advise on placement, and Community Policing Forum structures or similar initiatives may assist with painting numbers on kerbs for a small donation.
Special considerations for corner properties
Corner properties require additional attention. If a property has entrances on two different streets, both should be clearly marked. Where an entrance is on another street, the full address should be displayed to prevent confusion.
Hattingh encourages homeowners to include checking house numbers in their regular home maintenance and security routines.
Emergency services personnel are dedicated to saving lives and protecting property, often working under considerable pressure during emergencies.
Paramedics, firefighters, armed reaction officers and police officers carry significant responsibility in emergency situations, and they often come under scrutiny when things go wrong.
Community duty to assist emergency services
The public has a duty to do everything possible to assist these services in carrying out their jobs diligently and within the shortest time in an emergency. Any hindrance, such as an unnumbered property, acts as an obstacle to critical work.
Ensuring a house number is clearly visible is a simple step that takes little effort, but it could make a significant difference when every second counts.
