MOUNTAIN AREA – Someone you love is suffering chest pains and is in need of immediate medical attention. You call 911 and anxiously await the arrival of paramedics. Every single minute counts, and could be the difference between life and death.
But how much precious time could be lost if emergency responders can’t find your house? It may seem a minor detail but a small 6″ x 18″ strip of aluminum could save a life.
Those who respond to emergencies are asking you to please identify your home with a reflective sign. “If we can’t find you, we can’t help you,” has been the motto of groups like the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, as they work to make sure that every address is clearly visible to those rushing to the rescue.
Ambulance personnel and fire engine crews find themselves wasting valuable time if they have to stop and search with flashlights for your address, or make calls to dispatch asking someone to come out to the road and flag them down.
With winter months bringing so many more hours of darkness, it becomes even more crucial for your address to be easily seen from the roadway. A weathered stencil on a mailbox doesn’t do the same job as a bright green reflective marker, day or night.
This Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Auxiliary members will be manning a booth at the Christmas Bazaar at the North Fork Town Hall, ready to order your own custom reflective address sign.
A double-sided sign is just $18, or $25 with the stand for ground installation. Auxiliary members Barb Colliander and Sandy Chaille will even come to your home and do the installation for free.
All proceeds go to support the volunteer firefighters at Station #11 in North Fork.
Signs can also be ordered at Station #12 in Oakhurst. The cost is $20 for a double-sided sign, $30 for a sign with a stand, or $25 for a one-sided vertical sign. Station personnel will come to your home for free installation within 5 miles of Oakhurst.
When you’re thinking about a unique gift this Christmas, consider giving a gift that could save a life, and support your first responders in the bargain. Be sure to order now, so you will have them in time for Christmas.
To order your reflective address sign or for more information, call Barb or Sandy at 559-877-7796, call Station #12 at 559-683-4808, or YLP residents can email YLVFStation10@gmail.com.
