03-19-2009, 11:10 AM
Officers who patrol by boat have a big problem. Unfortunately, their problem could be yours if you call in an emergency and a water patrol officer is thefirst to respond. He may not be able to find your home.
"The problem is that most docks don't display street addresses," said Lt. George Pottorf, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement supervisor whose squad of six officers respond more often from boats than from trucks. "When we try to get to the people, it's very difficult to find the location. The extra time it takes us to search for it could be the difference between life and death."
But Pottorf has a simple solution - make street addresses visible from the water. He and his squad are kicking off a campaign designed to encourage people to do just that.
"If you live on a lake, river or canal, put your street address on your dock. If you don't have a dock, put it somewhere that will be visible to an officer trying to find you from the water," he said.
Over the next several weeks, while on water patrol, Pottorf's squad of officers will be handing out information to waterfront residents they encounter, explaining why this simple step is so important.
"I'm sure a lot of people don't really think about officers in boats responding to emergencies on land, but we are often called upon to assist other law enforcement agencies and usually arrive by boat. The incidents can range from looking for an Alzheimer's patient who has wandered away, to toxic spills in the water, to emergencies involving endangered species. Whatever the situation, the longer it takes us to find the location, the more things can deteriorate," he said.
Pottorf is concentrating his efforts on waterfront residences in Putnam and St. Johns counties for now, but he hopes the idea will catch on all over thestate.
"This is a simple, often-overlooked solution that could save lives," he said.
Media Contact
Lt. George Pottorf (352) 427-6825
"The problem is that most docks don't display street addresses," said Lt. George Pottorf, a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission law enforcement supervisor whose squad of six officers respond more often from boats than from trucks. "When we try to get to the people, it's very difficult to find the location. The extra time it takes us to search for it could be the difference between life and death."
But Pottorf has a simple solution - make street addresses visible from the water. He and his squad are kicking off a campaign designed to encourage people to do just that.
"If you live on a lake, river or canal, put your street address on your dock. If you don't have a dock, put it somewhere that will be visible to an officer trying to find you from the water," he said.
Over the next several weeks, while on water patrol, Pottorf's squad of officers will be handing out information to waterfront residents they encounter, explaining why this simple step is so important.
"I'm sure a lot of people don't really think about officers in boats responding to emergencies on land, but we are often called upon to assist other law enforcement agencies and usually arrive by boat. The incidents can range from looking for an Alzheimer's patient who has wandered away, to toxic spills in the water, to emergencies involving endangered species. Whatever the situation, the longer it takes us to find the location, the more things can deteriorate," he said.
Pottorf is concentrating his efforts on waterfront residences in Putnam and St. Johns counties for now, but he hopes the idea will catch on all over thestate.
"This is a simple, often-overlooked solution that could save lives," he said.
Media Contact
Lt. George Pottorf (352) 427-6825