High River, AB: In order to ensure the visibility of civic addresses for emergency responders, Council has adopted Bylaw 4366/2013 to establish and maintain a system of numbering houses, buildings and building sites within the Town of High River.
The bylaw was brought forward to Council at its July 20 meeting following concerns associated with time delays of first responders when attending emergencies.
“This bylaw could be lifesaving for those who need emergency services,” says Patrick Webb, Special Advisor to Community Services with the Town. “Every second counts for responders with EMS, police or fire and it is immensely important that addresses are clear and not obscured.”
The bylaw requires properties with rear lane access or alleys to have their property number on the back of their property as well as the front, either on the fence or garage.
Developers and home builders are also required to have temporary property numbers displayed during construction.
“The vast majority of properties already have numbers on the front, but this is something people should review to ensure their present addressing is adequate and meets the standards,” adds Webb.
In addition to requiring that the civic addresses be attached to buildings, the bylaw sets out the standards in terms of size and placement that would allow the address to be seen by emergency responders from the street.
For more information, please visit the bylaws and policies page at www.highriver.ca.