Ohio County has taken on a long-term project to help emergency responders get to their destinations faster.
The goal is to standardize the 16,000 addresses in the county. Those addresses are on 1,100 roads.
Ohio County Emergency Management Director Charlie Shields said there are examples showing how difficult it can be for an ambulance or fire truck to find a house quickly.
“You go out 231 and one of the addresses is 7100. You go 100 feet and the next address is 13,500 and something.”
The house numbers jump by several hundred in a short distance because there haven’t been rules for them to go in order.
Now there’s an ordinance requiring that numbers start from the direction of the courthouse, with even numbers on the right, odd numbers on the left. And the address must be on the mailbox and the house.
Shields said some addresses will have to be changed.
“We’re always going to hear somebody say, ‘I’ve lived here 20 years, or 30 years, and had the same address. Why are you making me change?’ Then you sit down and explain it. When you dial 911, it’s going be a faster service for when they come to you to get you.”
Emergency management staff will spend one or two days a week reviewing addresses. The project is expected to take three or four years.