House Numbering for Emergency Services
If we can't find you, we can't help you
Most houses have some kind of address numbering to identify them. However, numbering which is compliant with NYS law and perfectly suitable for helping the post office to deliver your mail may not be enough in an emergency. We have missed poorly numbered addresses and had to turn around. Please help us find you when seconds count:
- Make sure numbers are at least four inches tall, are reflective, and contrast with their background. Mail arrives during the day; we frequently must find your house at night. Reflective white letters on a dark background are best.
- Make sure numbers can be clearly seen from a distance. Your mail carrier drives slowly and stops at every house; we are traveling quickly and would like to stop at only yours. Make sure numbers are not obscured by newspaper boxes or vegetation.
- Make sure numbers can be seen from both directions, not only from the direction the mail comes from.
- Place numbers at the end of your driveway, on the same side of the road as your house. Numbers on the house itself can usually only be seen as we drive past them, and are not suitable. Numbers on a mailbox across the street are usually okay, but sometimes may appear to belong to the house across the steet. The end of the driveway is best.
- In winter, clear snow from number signs as promptly as possible.
- Talk to your neighbors about clearly visible numbering. If your house is number 200 and we see your neighbor's bright, reflective "198" sign, we know we're getting close.
- Talk to the Fire Company about unusual situations. On certain roads in Danby, house numbers appear out of order, or corner houses have addresses on one road but driveways on another. In these kinds of circumstances, take extra care to number your house very visibly, and also contact us to advise us of the situation. We can advise the Tompkins County 911 center to put a note in their computer system so that, if we are called to your house, we will get a reminder of the location as part of our dispatch information.
Sign Ordering Information
Green, reflective address number signs and posts to mount them on are available through the Fire Company. Under a grant, we are able to offer these at no cost to Danby residents who are senior citizens or who have disabilities. To order a sign, please download and complete an order form, and return it to the Fire Company:
- Regular order form: $12 per sign, $5 per post
- Free sign order form: Free to Danby residents who are senior citizens or who have disabilities.
We will also help install a number sign at your request.