Make sure they get to you on time
A local organisation embarks on a project to make sure residents are reachable in emergency situations.
If a house isn’t visibly numbered the chances are emergency services and the police will struggle to locate it — and those residents are breaking the law.
This is what Annette Reed, vice chair of On Florida, references as inspiration for the organisation’s new house number project.
“Florida suffers from a serious malaise as many residents do not display a clearly legible house number on their properties,” Reed said.
“Just recently emergency services responded to a call-out of a medical emergency, a young girl was shot.
“Finding the correct address was difficult and delayed the ambulance and security response vehicle’s access to the patient and she passed away.”
Also read: Life or death could lie in a number, 9 November 2014
Not only are house numbers important for residents’ safety and the safety of their family, it is also required by law, Reed said.
According to the City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Services bylaws Chapter 2 section 14 (2) the owner or occupier of any premises must ensure the premises is clearly and correctly marked.
Residents who don’t comply with this required can be penalised with fines ranging between R500 and R1 500, according to Reed.
The On Florida Community Forum will be embarking on their project to get house numbers visibly painted this August. The materials they will be using to start with has been sponsored.
For more information visit the website on www.onflorida.org.za, send an email to them at info@onflorida.org.za or tweet them @On_Florida
See the below extract from the City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Services Bylaws:
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