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Access
When a wildfire threatens, the first few minutes of a fire are the most critical
for saving your home. Fire fighting personnel must be able to immediately locate
and safely travel to your home to have a chance to protect it.
Street signs and house addresses must be clearly posted, and roads must be able
to accommodate busy traffic. At the same time fire engines and other emergency
equipment are trying to drive into your area, you must be able to escape in your
car with your family and valuable personal possessions.
Street Signs and Addresses
Proper identification of your home is essential. During a major wildfire, firefighters
from throughout the state (or even the nation) will arrive to assist local firefighters.
They have to rely on clear street signs and addresses to find your home.
- Street name and address should be printed in letters and numbers that are
at least four inches tall, on a contrasting color background. They should
be visible from all directions of travel for at least 150 feet. And the sign
should be made of fire resistant materials.
- Each of the streets and roads in your area should be labeled, and each should
have a different name or number.
- Your home should have its own house number, which should be in numerical
order along your street or road.
- If your house is set back from the street or road, post your address at
the entrance of your driveway.
- In situations where more than one home is accessed off a single driveway,
all addresses should be posted at the street and at each appropriate intersection
along that driveway.
Access to Your House
Even if your street and house are clearly identified for firefighters, precious
time can be lost if firefighters have difficulty getting to your house. Narrow
roads, dead-end streets, steep driveways and weak bridges can delay firefighters,
or prevent them from arriving at all. Remember, firefighting equipment is much
larger and heavier than your family car or truck.
- Single lane one-way roads or driveways should have turnout spaces at regular
intervals to allow emergency vehicles and cars to pass.
- Road and street systems must be planned and designed to provide safe emergency
evacuation and fire department access. A minimum of two primary access roads
should be designed into every subdivision and development.
- All private and public streets should be designed and constructed to provide
two traffic lanes, each a minimum of ten feet in width, which is just enough
space for a fire engine and car to pass each other.
- Curves and intersections should also be wide enough to allow large fire
equipment to easily pass and turn.
- Roads, driveways and bridges should be built to carry at least 40,000 lbs.,
the average weight of a fire engine. (By comparison, the average family station
wagon weighs about 4,000 lbs.)
- Streets and driveways must not be too steep or have sharp curves - these
can prevent emergency equipment from arriving to protect your home. Dead-end
street or long driveway should have a turnaround area designed as either a
"T" or a circle large enough to allow fire equipment to turn around.
Each of these steps will give firefighters a chance to find and protect your home.
A few minutes delay can be the difference between saving your home and losing
it. If you have any question about emergency access to your home, including construction
widths, grades or strengths, contact your local fire department.
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Access
When a wildfire threatens, the first few minutes of a fire are the most critical
for saving your home. Fire fighting personnel must be able to immediately locate
and safely travel to your home to have a chance to protect it.
Street signs and house addresses must be clearly posted, and roads must be able
to accommodate busy traffic. At the same time fire engines and other emergency
equipment are trying to drive into your area, you must be able to escape in your
car with your family and valuable personal possessions.
Street Signs and Addresses
Proper identification of your home is essential. During a major wildfire, firefighters
from throughout the state (or even the nation) will arrive to assist local firefighters.
They have to rely on clear street signs and addresses to find your home.
- Street name and address should be printed in letters and numbers that are
at least four inches tall, on a contrasting color background. They should
be visible from all directions of travel for at least 150 feet. And the sign
should be made of fire resistant materials.
- Each of the streets and roads in your area should be labeled, and each should
have a different name or number.
- Your home should have its own house number, which should be in numerical
order along your street or road.
- If your house is set back from the street or road, post your address at
the entrance of your driveway.
- In situations where more than one home is accessed off a single driveway,
all addresses should be posted at the street and at each appropriate intersection
along that driveway.
Access to Your House
Even if your street and house are clearly identified for firefighters, precious
time can be lost if firefighters have difficulty getting to your house. Narrow
roads, dead-end streets, steep driveways and weak bridges can delay firefighters,
or prevent them from arriving at all. Remember, firefighting equipment is much
larger and heavier than your family car or truck.
- Single lane one-way roads or driveways should have turnout spaces at regular
intervals to allow emergency vehicles and cars to pass.
- Road and street systems must be planned and designed to provide safe emergency
evacuation and fire department access. A minimum of two primary access roads
should be designed into every subdivision and development.
- All private and public streets should be designed and constructed to provide
two traffic lanes, each a minimum of ten feet in width, which is just enough
space for a fire engine and car to pass each other.
- Curves and intersections should also be wide enough to allow large fire
equipment to easily pass and turn.
- Roads, driveways and bridges should be built to carry at least 40,000 lbs.,
the average weight of a fire engine. (By comparison, the average family station
wagon weighs about 4,000 lbs.)
- Streets and driveways must not be too steep or have sharp curves - these
can prevent emergency equipment from arriving to protect your home. Dead-end
street or long driveway should have a turnaround area designed as either a
"T" or a circle large enough to allow fire equipment to turn around.
Each of these steps will give firefighters a chance to find and protect your home.
A few minutes delay can be the difference between saving your home and losing
it. If you have any question about emergency access to your home, including construction
widths, grades or strengths, contact your local fire department.
|
Access
When a wildfire threatens, the first few minutes of a fire are the most critical
for saving your home. Fire fighting personnel must be able to immediately locate
and safely travel to your home to have a chance to protect it.
Street signs and house addresses must be clearly posted, and roads must be able
to accommodate busy traffic. At the same time fire engines and other emergency
equipment are trying to drive into your area, you must be able to escape in your
car with your family and valuable personal possessions.
Street Signs and Addresses
Proper identification of your home is essential. During a major wildfire, firefighters
from throughout the state (or even the nation) will arrive to assist local firefighters.
They have to rely on clear street signs and addresses to find your home.
- Street name and address should be printed in letters and numbers that are
at least four inches tall, on a contrasting color background. They should
be visible from all directions of travel for at least 150 feet. And the sign
should be made of fire resistant materials.
- Each of the streets and roads in your area should be labeled, and each should
have a different name or number.
- Your home should have its own house number, which should be in numerical
order along your street or road.
- If your house is set back from the street or road, post your address at
the entrance of your driveway.
- In situations where more than one home is accessed off a single driveway,
all addresses should be posted at the street and at each appropriate intersection
along that driveway.
Access to Your House
Even if your street and house are clearly identified for firefighters, precious
time can be lost if firefighters have difficulty getting to your house. Narrow
roads, dead-end streets, steep driveways and weak bridges can delay firefighters,
or prevent them from arriving at all. Remember, firefighting equipment is much
larger and heavier than your family car or truck.
- Single lane one-way roads or driveways should have turnout spaces at regular
intervals to allow emergency vehicles and cars to pass.
- Road and street systems must be planned and designed to provide safe emergency
evacuation and fire department access. A minimum of two primary access roads
should be designed into every subdivision and development.
- All private and public streets should be designed and constructed to provide
two traffic lanes, each a minimum of ten feet in width, which is just enough
space for a fire engine and car to pass each other.
- Curves and intersections should also be wide enough to allow large fire
equipment to easily pass and turn.
- Roads, driveways and bridges should be built to carry at least 40,000 lbs.,
the average weight of a fire engine. (By comparison, the average family station
wagon weighs about 4,000 lbs.)
- Streets and driveways must not be too steep or have sharp curves - these
can prevent emergency equipment from arriving to protect your home. Dead-end
street or long driveway should have a turnaround area designed as either a
"T" or a circle large enough to allow fire equipment to turn around.
Each of these steps will give firefighters a chance to find and protect your home.
A few minutes delay can be the difference between saving your home and losing
it. If you have any question about emergency access to your home, including construction
widths, grades or strengths, contact your local fire department.
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