The Williams Lake Lions Club is teaming up with local area fire departments to promote and sell reflective address signs that will make it easier for emergency personnel to find homes in emergencies.
In an emergency when every second counts, firefighters, police or medical emergency services may lose critical time if they cannot locate your home, explains the Lions Club application form.
Despite recent advances in technology and improvements in 911 emergency dispatch systems, there is a marked difference for emergency personnel in being directed to an address and actually locating the residence.
In an emergency, time lost trying to locate the correct driveway can have a tragic result. You can help assure that you receive emergency assistance in the shortest possible time by properly displaying large highly reflective house numbers.
Signs that are not reflective or right beside the road may not be seen, especially at night or in bad weather conditions.
The Lions Club has arranged to supply the reflective signs at a cost of $15 for a single-sided sign and $25 for double-sided sign. The signs are eight inches high by 16 inches wide and made of engineer-grade aluminum with five-inch, high black numbers on a white, highly reflective background.
These signs are quite easily seen in the daytime and at night, as well as during adverse weather conditions.
Purchase applications for the signs are available at Clarke’s General Store in Horsefly, 150 Mile House Husky Lotto Centre, and Valley General Store in Likely.
In Williams Lake the signs can be purchased at Burgess Plumbing, Cool Clear Water, Schickworks and SpeedPro Signs. Applications must be made by Sept. 15 with cheques made payable to the Williams Lake Lions Club. Signs should be ready for distribution by the end of September and the Lions Club will contact purchasers to arrange for pick-up and arrange to help with installing the signs if assistance is needed.
Proceeds from the sign venture will be shared equally between the Williams Lake Lions Club and local volunteer fire departments.
The reflective signs should be placed in the yard at the end of the driveway, high enough to be above snow in winter and weeds in summer, and far enough back from the main road not to be hit by a snowplow or obscured by thrown snow or mud. The signs should be placed in locations clearly visible from a distance of 50 meters.
More information is available on the sign application forms.
People who have questions about the program or need assistance installing the signs can call Lions Bob or Eleanor Donker 250-620-0503, Lion Lional Burnier 250-398-5297 or your local volunteer fire department.