911 Address Sign Program
Emergency services at Wintergreen are experiencing difficulty finding houses in a timely fashion due to extreme variances in signage, or the total lack of signage. The Nelson County Code requires that house numbers be posted with a minimum of 3” numbers on a contrasting color background. Even these compliant signs are difficult to see at night because the numbers aren’t reflective. The next time you are out driving around, please pay attention to the house numbers and put yourself in the emergency service provider’s shoes. Add fog, darkness, snow, and urgency to the equation and what you come up with is a bad situation which is completely avoidable. Many of the signs are only visible from one direction of travel. What if a responder misses the address and
has to turn around?
All signage at Wintergreen must be approved by the Executive Director. A few months ago, I proposed that our individual address signs be changed to match our street signs. In other words, a brown reflective background with white reflective letters. Six address signs were installed in conspicuous locations to see if they prompted any complaints. None were noted. With that said, the project has been approved, and
we are moving forward. See examples of the sign below.
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Like all of our public safety initiatives, we are trying to make this project as convenient as possible for the property owners. Members of the Fire and Rescue staff will, upon request, remove your numbers from your mailbox post (valley) and install the recommended sign. Each side will need a sign, and the cost for both will be $30. If you are using one of the official Wintergreen Logo address plaques, (mountain) the reflective 4”x12” sign can be applied directly to the wooden sign for a cost of $15. If your situation requires more extensive work contact us for further
suggestions.
To order and/or schedule and installation, please contact Fire and Rescue personnel at either station. A list will be established of those persons desiring the sign upgrades, and once per quarter, Fire and Rescue staff will complete installations.
