Media Release 112009

MEDIA RELEASE   20 November 2009             It is hard to imagine that St. Johns County has 125 miles of waterways and many homes that are on the water.  Emergency calls may require a response from a waterway which can create a real problem for the responding agency in locating the incident or a victim.  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.  If you live on the water you may not think about emergency responders that may arrive by boat.           Posted addresses on docks would allow marine officers to locate you more quickly should they be nearby in the water.  Officials with the Emergency 911 system are contacting those who live on the St. Johns River and the Intracoastal Waterways leaving literature to show the importance of numbering their docks for emergency responders.           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.           If you have any questions concerning the waterway addressing, please contact SGT Dale Mitchell, E-911 Coordinator at (904) 810-6635.  You can also email her at dmmitchell@sjso.org.