Addressing
Since 911 was established in the United States, everyone has been or is being assigned a physical address, in the rural counties as well as within city limits, for location purposes. The Humphreys County 911 Center's Addressing Office is responsible for issuing those addresses in Humphreys County. All addresses in Humphreys County must be assigned and approved by our office.
Addresses are assigned based on a mileage distance (see below) from the origin point of a roadway to the driveway/entranceway of the residence or business.
A key factor in locating an address in an emergency is properly displaying your address numbers at the driveway/entranceway of your home or business. Too often we see emergency response delayed because addresses are unmarked or not marked properly.
The 911 District recommends the following suggestions when marking your address:
Numbers on driveway markers should be at least 3" in height, reflective, and on a contrasting background.
The markers should be placed at the entrance of your driveway and should be clearly visible from the roadway (not obstructed by weeds, etc.).
Numbers should be visible from both directions on the roadway.
Numbers should also be physically displayed on your home/business, especially when sharing a common driveway with other structures.
The 911 Center offers metal stakes with reflective numbers at our cost as a public service. Anyone requesting a new address assignment is required to purchase a 911 stake and mark their new address. The stakes are $10.00 each and are available by visiting the 911 Center at 103 East Main Street in Waverly. A dispatcher will apply the numbers to the stake for you while you wait. You may call 296-7792 for more information.
The time you take now to mark your address may save precious seconds when they are really needed!
Building a new home or business? Need an address?
All new residences and businesses are required to have a 911 Address assigned to them. You may stop by our office 24 Hours/Day to fill out an address application and we will assign your address. A copy of the address application is here for your convenience.
Download the 911 Address Application
The application is in Adobe .pdf format and can be mailed in or dropped off at our office.
There is a $10.00 fee which pays for the numbering stake that we leave at the property.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do
you come up with the numbers you assign?
Our Addressing Scheme is based upon distance (Each 1/1000th of a mile (5.28
feet) is a potential address) (Each 1,000 equals a mile) We normally start at
the beginning of the road and using a Distance Measurement Indicator (DMI),
measure the distance to the driveway of the structure we're assigning an
address. The resulting number is the address. Odd addresses are usually on the
left, with even on the right (some of the original addresses assigned in the
county are reversed)
For example, if your address is 2515 Bakerville Rd, you live a little over 2 1/2
miles up the road.
This method of addressing is invaluable for our Emergency Responders. As soon as
our Dispatchers give them the address, they know exactly how far
down the road the house is, and on which side of the road. The description
of your residence that you provide on the application is added to our local
database and can further assist in locating you.
Why do I have to purchase a numbering stake?
The 911 Board implemented this policy several years ago as a method to encourage residents to mark their addresses so they can be quickly located in an emergency. The program has been very successful and we are seeing better compliance as a result. You can purchase a stake at our office for $10.00. If you are homebound and need assistance marking your address please contact the 911 Director or Addressing Coordinator and we will assist you in marking your address.
Why do I need to have my driveway cut in or marked before you can assign an address?
The driveway is the key point of our addressing system - it's the only point of the residence/business that intersects the road, and therefore our only reference point on which to locate the address. In many cases residences will not be visible from the roadway, making it even more important to locate the address on the driveway.
Driveways are key to the whole operation. Many times we will measure from another know good driveway to the new one (add the address of the first driveway to the distance to the next). If you change your driveway's location significantly (more than a few feet), you're not only changing your address, you could be changing the address of present or future neighbors down the road from you!
How long does it take to get an address assigned?
We make every effort to get addresses assigned within a few days, however delays can occur because of scheduling issues at the 911 Center. In the event that your address is part of a new subdivision or private road, those road names have to be approved by a vote of the 911 Board which meets monthly. We recommend new road names any time more than 2 residents share a common driveway.
Is the address you assign also my mailing address?
Yes, but check with the local post office concerning where to locate your mailbox.
Now that I have the address, who do I need to give it to?
Make certain when you turn on your telephone service with BellSouth or TDS that you give them the correct address. When you dial 911 the information that is in their database is what we see on our systems. You will also need to provide the address to public utilities, etc.
I have moved and I am unsure of my new address, how do I find out what it is?
Contact our office and we will assist you in verifying your new address. Our phone # is 296-7792.
If you have any additional questions about addressing, please contact our Addressing/Mapping Coordinator Eric Schmidt at 931-296-7792.
