Departments seek better address signs

SANDPOINT — Meeting a fire engine frantically backing up a narrow, rural road in the dark can be harrowing.

It is more stressful for firefighters on emergency calls, who are unable to locate the caller’s address because it is either poorly marked or not marked at all, Sagle Fire Chief Rob Goodyear said.

Keeping address signs on private, rural roads easy to see, especially at night, makes a difference.

“It takes the stress off the responders,” Goodyear said. “There is nothing more stressful than going to a critical call and not knowing where to respond.”

The Sagle district and the Northside Fire District are urging homeowners to clearly mark their rural addresses if they are not already highlighted.

This week in both districts a private company endorsed by the districts is selling signs, with a small part of the proceeds returning to the districts.

Whether or not homeowners purchase the signs, the districts encourage rural property owners to mark their roads with the proper address.

Property owners who live on county roads already have signs, Brad Mitton, Northside fire chief said. The latest effort is to get the private roads marked.

“Not everyone has to do it,” Mitton said. “It’s an option.”

Responders to outlying areas, he said, are often battling time.

“Time is of the essence,” Mitton said. “It’s really important to us. A lot of times we get on roads that are not marked, there are no addresses and sometimes we have a hard time finding things.”

Goodyear urges property owners to check their signs, brush them out, make sure they are reflective.

“It could make a difference and save lives in life threat situations,” he said.