GOAL

Access and Address Visibility

Access: The goal with regard to access is making sure the property driveway is accessible to emergency equipment and personnel .

Current West Virginia Division of Forestry recommendation of driveway width to be a minimum clearance of 12 feet and driveway height of 14 feet.

Current Hedgesville WV Volunteer Fire and Rescue recommendation of a driveway width to be a cleared 14 feet and driveway height of 16 feet.

This Goal is very important. The WHOA Firewise Committee recommend that all properties meet the local Fire and Rescue recommendation. If emergency vehicles cannot gain immediate close access to the structure, important time is wasted hand carrying equipment onto the property. In order to achieve this goal the most common fixes are:

Tree trimming, tree removal, stump grinding

• Often enlarging the width of a driveway can be easily accomplished by removing a few trees and their stumps along the sides of an existing driveway.

• Often clearing the height of the driveway can be easily accomplished by trimming trees hanging over the driveway

  

Trimming Around Driveway

Grinding stumps after trees were cut down

  

Before

After

14 feet wide

Imagine

16 feet high

Address Visibility: The goal with regard to address visibility is having your property readily identified in case of an emergency.

Current Hedgesville WV Volunteer Fire and Rescue recommendation for a compliant address sign are:

• Sign standing 3 feet high from the ground up. • Sign with 3 inch high (or better) reflective numbers and/or letters.• Visibility from either entrance to the property (right or left – numbers on each side of the

sign)

Adherence to this simple request could make the difference between life and death with regard to fire and rescue.

Berkeley County Commission for 911 Address Ordinance Signage:

{Section 12 of the Berkeley County Commission for 9ll Address Ordinance states the street address numbers for residences shall be in accordance with The BOCA, International Residential Code, National Property Maintenance Code, Section PM-304.3, Exterior Structure, Street Numbers. The numbers shall be in arabic numerals, at least 3 inches in height, and of durable clearly visible material. The numbers shall be placed on , above or at the side of the main entrance so the number is visible from public right-of-way. Whenever a residence entrance is not visible from the public right-of-way, the number shall be placed along a driveway, or property entrance. Address numbers are to be of contrasting color to the background on which they are mounted.}

Below, the non-compliant sign identifies the house but emergency personnel could not see it from the road. In addition, it is giving lot number not the 911 assigned address. This is not compliant with International Residential Code 319.1, adopted by Berkeley County.

Non-compliant

Compliant

WHOA Firewise Committee Recommendation for Home Identification:

• MUST post the GIVEN 911 address on sign• Two sided sign (visible from either side of road) • 3 inch high and at least ½ inch wide REFLECTIVE numbers• The height requirement is, in part, guided by snow fall.• Numbers section of sign HORIZONTAL on pole:

Pole/post standing at least 4 feet from ground up, having a horizontal sign w/ numbers attached to the top of the 4 foot sign, as demonstrated in following pictures.

• Numbers section of sign VERTICAL on pole: Pole/post standing at least 4 feet from ground up, having a vertical sign w/

numbers attached starting at the 3 foot mark of the post, as demonstrated in following pictures.

• Install sign on property, facing the driveway, on the left hand side. The sign needs to be easily visible from the road, but not so close from either side that it will be in the way of large trucks entering the driveway or as to interfere with snow plows or road work. 15 feet from driveway and edge of road is a best guess estimate. Positioning the sign will vary from house to house so we advise, when in doubt,

Call a Firewise Committee for advise on positioning your sign or questions. Your Committee can also recommend a Professional to install your sign, if needed..

Houses that are particularly hidden. These need to be very clearly marked, so as not be missed by Fire Service.

Shared Driveway (3 houses off this driveway)

Cul-de-sac – only one way in so sign must face forward toward that road.

In these instances, we recommend you call a Firewise Committee member for assistance.

Without a good sign, this house is invisible to Fire Service.

• Placing the sign appropriately will vary from house to house. These are just a few instances where you might need to vary the recommendation: Shared access driveways (not named road). Several houses may share a small access

driveway, but each will have their own short driveways. The one driveway at the road, must identify all house numbers, then each house must have their own sign designation.

Areas where the sign MUST be straight ahead because there is no other angle presented to the fire service vehicles, from the road.

WHOA Firewise Committee Recommendation for Home Identification:

Clearly Visible Address Sign (going across top of post):

Post is 4 feet tall

from ground

Address is two sided, seen from

both sides of street.

Reflective numbers on top of sign, AT LEAST 3

inches high, and ½ inch wide stroke

1 4 9 2

Facing your home, install sign on the left side of driveway approximately 15 feet straight back from road. Make sure shrubs, trees, etc. are trimmed so the sign will be visible from road, but not so close to the road that it would interfere with snow plows or road work.

1492

Clearly Visible Address Sign (going up and down on post):

Post is 4 feet tall

from ground

Address is two sided, seen from

both sides of street.

Reflective numbers on top of sign, AT LEAST 3

inches high, and ½ inch wide stroke

Facing your home, install sign on the left side of driveway approximately 15 feet straight back from road. Make sure shrubs, trees, etc. are trimmed so the sign will be visible from road, but not so close to the road that it would interfere with snow plows or road work.

1 ft

2 ft

3 ft

4 ft

EXAMPLE OF 911 SIGNAGE

15 feet from road

Post is 4 feethigh, from

ground,With sign on

top

15 feet from driveway

Sign is actually sideways, facing the driveway. Numbers are on each side of sign and

can be seen from either direction the fire truck might

come.

1 4 9 2

1 4 9 2

Fire Department will come from one direction and turn left into

driveway

Fire Department will come from another direction and turn right into driveway

1492

1492

EXAMPLE OF 911 SIGNAGE

15 feet from road

Post is 4 feethigh, from

ground,With sign on

top

15 feet from driveway

Sign is actually sideways, facing the driveway. Numbers are on each side of sign and

can be seen from either direction the fire truck might

come.

Numbers visible from right side of road

Numbers visible from left side of road