The 5th in the alphabetic series - by Michelle Reed
For E, I wanted to talk about two important systems in place for emergencies. Both of which are a result of caring community members wanting to look out for others. There are the Emergency Numbers used for locations and Emergency Texts sent for alerts.
EMERGENCY LOCATION NUMBERS
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Roger Wright about the emergency numbers used to locate the homes. When we purchased our home 11 years ago, we never were told about them, but I feel that every homeowner needs to be aware of them and know how to use them to provide directions to their homes. We have all heard about the trouble that delivery companies have trying to find homes, in the grand scheme of things that is not a huge deal because neighbors work together to get the packages to the right destination. BUT when you are in an emergency situation, you need the police, medics, and firefighters to be able to find you right away, so you need to know how to use those numbers. Roger Wright is a retired firefighter who years ago got a detailed map of our Heritage Lake community from the developers through the POA office . After that, he documented on a map all the emergency numbers and alphabet that emergency responders could follow to locate homes. In 2012 Shannon McCullough Real Estate came out with map with each Heritage Lake subdivision colorized. Roger got permission from Shannon to use his map and graphic artist to add his information to the map. Once developed, he made hundreds of map copies and distributed them to all local authorities, delivery companies, etc. Many of which have posted them on a wall for a quick reference.
I am attaching a copy of the map, but you can also find it in the HL Phone Directory, HLCS website, the POA website, and Heritage Lake Chatter. Do yourself a favor and look up your house and write down the directions to your home using the system. In the phone directory's blue pages, it has a list of your street name with their emergency exits. Keep those directions written down somewhere visible in your home, so in the case of an emergency you and your kids don’t have to stop and think and can just read it off while on the phone asking for help.
The numbers that go around the lake are on the Heritage Drive street signs. Numbers go from 1 being close to the spillway all the way around Heritage Drive to 67 by the Firehouse. So if you live on Heritage Drive, all you have to say is your address and the emergency number nearest your house. If you are off Heritage Drive, give your home address and then use the system. You will identify the emergency number on Heritage Drive closest to your house, then add the letters of each road you will turn on to get to your home in the order you would drive.
FYI- Putting your address on your mailbox with 3INCH REFLECTIVE numbers will make it easier for first responders to find you!!
EMERGENCY TEXTING SYSTEM
This emergency texting system is a system designed by Rick Miller. The system is administered by the POA and it is totally free to use thanks to sponsors: Hancock Insurance Group, Realtor Mary Petruzzi, and the Law Firm of Hurst Lamontes. The purpose is to get emergency or time sensitive information to as many residents as quickly as possible. These might include events at the lake, lake closing status, local emergencies and other such things you might want to know quickly. Texting assures those who allow it, are notified immediately. You must be pro-active and choose to OPT-IN to the service. Click the link to get more information and sign up.
Thank you to both Roger and Rick for taking the initiative and putting the hard work in to develop two very important emergency systems meant to protect our residents.