A Simple Step for a Safer Elkins: Pick Up Your Free Address Decals

The City of Elkins offers residents and business owners free reflective address numbers. True, we are now most likely past the worst of the winter snowstorms. Nevertheless, please don’t let future severe weather or darkness hide your home or business when first responders have to arrive on the scene in an emergency.

Getting free decals for your home or business is easy:

• Visit the Finance Dept. at the WV Wood Tech Center (at 10 11th St., Suite 3).
• Provide your Elkins address.
• Receive your free reflective numbers.

A clearly visible address saves critical time, and even lives: Please pick up yours today!

Here are some reasons why clear address labels can make a difference:

• Saves crucial minutes: First responders report that searching for unmarked or unclear homes can add 5 to 10 minutes to response times. In an emergency, even a one-minute delay can be the difference between life and a family tragedy.
• Eliminates risky guessing: Even with GPS, 911 dispatchers rely on accurate, consistent address data. Unclear or inconsistent addresses can cause dispatch systems to glitch, sending responders to the wrong location when every second counts.
• Reduces stress on you: A clearly visible address means you and your family can stay with a loved one in need, rather than having to go outside to flag down help or describe landmarks to a dispatcher.
• Protects our entire community: Studies show that during disasters like wildfires or floods, one in six homes with address inconsistencies failed to receive critical emergency alerts. Ensuring your address is visible and correctly formatted helps keep our whole community connected to urgent warnings.
• Proven to make a difference: Emergency management agencies nationwide identify unclear addresses as a top challenge in rural areas. The simple act of placing these free reflective numbers where they can be seen day or night is one of the most effective ways to protect your home and family.

Pick up your free reflective address decals today at the Finance Department (WV Wood Tech Center, 10 11th St., Suite 3), Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.