PEABODY — A numbered house is a safer house.
That was the message Mayor Michael Bonfanti recently relayed to a gathering of senior citizens.
"If you don't put the (house) number up, your number really could be up," Bonfanti said.
The mayor's comments were part of the Peabody Triad Council's efforts to encourage seniors to make sure their address is clearly displayed on their home. Not only is it the law, but it also helps emergency responders quickly identify the homes of seniors who need medical attention.
The Triad Council is a coalition of seniors, the Council on Aging, and local law enforcement and public safety officials that is dedicated to keeping older citizens safe and healthy. Among its other initiatives, Triad provides seniors with free photo ID cards, its Yellow Dot Program uses a yellow dot sticker to alert emergency responders that a senior's medical information can be found in his or her glove compartment, and it offers free cell phones that can only be used for emergencies.
The law outlines specific guidelines that dictate where house numbers must be placed. Numbers, reflective and block-style, must be placed on the frame of the main entrance on the lock side, not less than 4 feet and not more than 5 feet above the door sill. Numbers, not letters, should be used.
Any senior citizen requiring help to comply with the law can call the Torigian Community Life Center at 978-531-2254.
Bonfanti urged seniors to alert friends and neighbors about properly marking their home.
"If we don't help ourselves and look out for each other, who is going to do it?" he said.
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