Address Number

Street numbering is critically important to the Fire Department and ambulance when we are trying to find you in a time of need.

Having your address maintained and visible is essential to assure the most rapid response..

  • Numbers should be a minimum of 3″ high, placed on a contrasting background (i.e. white numbers on a dark background or vice versa). Reflective numbers are even better.
  • These numbers should be visible from both directions of travel on the road.
  • When you share a common driveway, your address should also be posted at the driveway junction, again easily visible.
  • Maintain your address numbering by clearing away undergrowth and making sure quality of the numbers is maintained.

Driveway Configuration

When planning a new driveway or making a change to your driveway, please consider emergency vehicle access. Although it is possible to fight a fire with all the trucks parked on the road, this really only works for short driveways. A better situation is to have enough space at the house end of the driveway for the emergency vehicles.

If we ever need to fight a fire at your house, we will need enough room for two large trucks to enter your driveway, turn around, and leave again. Having enough driveway and turnaround space means that we can provide a continuous supply of water for firefighting operations. Without enough room in the driveway, we may have to block the road with the trucks and haul hoses the length of your driveway, which would hamper our firefighting ability.

You can help us protect your home by planning your driveway according to the following guidelines:

  • Ensure that your address number is clearly visible from the road.
  • Ensure that your driveway is wide enough and high enough for large trucks to enter and leave. Our trucks need a minimum of 12 feet (3 metres) of width and 12 feet (3 metres) of height. Prune encroaching and low-hanging branches.
  • Ensure that there is sufficient parking space and turnaround room for a tanker truck to enter and leave your driveway while the pumper is parked near your house. This is especially important with a long driveway.
  • Don’t put the parking space right up against the house. Firefighters and their equipment need to keep a safe distance from a burning building. If your only parking space is right beside the house, we might not be able to use it.