URGENT: Several Minnesota Homeowners Need To Upgrade This Item ASAP

About 240 million 9-1-1 calls are made every year in the United States.  And when the dispatcher on the other end of the line alerts police departments and EMS, seconds matter.  Unfortunately, some of those precious seconds are being wasted in Minnesota.

This is an easy fix - and one that you should make ASAP where you live.

READ MORE: What To Do If You Accidentally Dial 9-1-1

How Easy Is It To Find Your House In An Emergency?

I've got a little bit of homework for you.  When it is dark outside, take this test:

• Go for a short walk and as you come back to your house, can you see your house number from the road?
• If there are numbers, can you see them clearly or do you need to squint or move up closer to see them?

If you did that exercise and you were not able to clearly make out the numbers for your home from your street, it is time for an upgrade.  The reason is because if you can't the numbers to identify your house easily, neither can emergency personnel when it matters most.

Tips to make sure your house number can be found in an emergency.

Here are the suggestions shared by Preston Emergency Services and the Preston Police Department in Minnesota that will help make sure your house number can be found easily in an emergency:

• The number should be posted so that it is visible from both directions of travel.

• Numbers should be placed above eye level near the front door within a radius of the porch light.

• Avoid placing numbers away from the front door such as above garage doors.

• Trees, bushes, or other debris should not block visibility from the road.

• If you own commercial or rental property, ensure that the house number is easily visible for all addresses.

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