Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Addressing important for 9-1-1

As part of getting the 9-1-1 emergency telephone system up and running, county residents have been getting new addresses.

Dale Booker, 9-1-1 coordinator, said new addresses were assigned to all those living in the county, but not within the Prescott city limits. Addresses in Prescott will not be changed.

Some of those who have Post Office boxes have been notified of their new physical address, though the P.O. box remains unchanged.

The purpose of the 9-1-1 addresses, Booker said, is to provide a quick and easy way for emergency responders to find addresses.

To make it easier for emergency personnel to find houses, Booker said, people are being asked to display their new addresses in a prominent manner, preferably near a road or highway so it can be seen in both directions.

House numbers, he said, should be at least three inches tall.

"Proper display of house numbers is important," he said. "It could expedite the arrival of emergency responders in reaching your location."

At this time, he added, the addressing is working on matching phone numbers with the new 9-1-1 addresses.

The 9-1-1 office has a list of phone numbers from CenturyTel, the local telephone service provider. However, he said, the office does not have unlisted phone numbers currently in service in the county.

In the event of an emergency where a residence has an unlisted number, Booker said, the caller may have to give directions to the dispatcher so emergency personnel can be sent to the right place.

At this time, Booker is asking those with unlisted numbers to provide his office with a physical address. The numbers, he said, will not be published.

Those residents who question how the addresses were assigned can call Booker at 887-5384.