In an emergency, emergency services personnel want to find you fast.

When you call 911 the emergency response system is immediately activated. Your telephone number and address are displayed on the Sheriff's Office Dispatcher's 911 screen immediately, before your call is even answered. The Dispatcher then answers your call and sends the appropriate responding agencies. An advanced Computer Aided Dispatch system provides responding units with your address and the closest cross street. This is all done in a matter of seconds because EVERY SECOND COUNTS IN AN EMERGENCY.

Many times, however, those valuable seconds are needlessly wasted.  Responding units are often unable to locate or arrive at an emergency as soon as possible because residents do not have their address numbers posted, or their address numbers are not readily visible from the roadway.  Your address should be clearly and prominently posted in a location that can be clearly seen from the roadway.  Amador County Ordinance 12.40.070 specifies that address numbers shall be a minimum height of three inches (not to exceed a maximum height of one foot), displayed at a minimum of two feet six inches above the ground (not to exceed eight feet unless approved by the Board of Supervisors) and shall be a contrasting color from the basic background.  It is recommended that the numbers be reflective for easy viewing at night, posted so that they can be seen coming from both directions on the street and, for those living in snow country, that the numbers are elevated high enough so as not to be covered by plowed snow.

Additionally, we recommend that street signs on private roads be made reflective and meet county standards.  Wooden, faded street signs are not visible at night.  If we cannot find your street, we cannot find your house.