The Department of Emergency Services assists the County's Technical Services Division (TSD) with the County's Comprehensive Addressing System. Any new construction project outside of municipal town limits is required to have a 9-1-1 address assigned by the county. These numbers are assigned by the TSD as part of the building permit process. The office also houses and maintains an addressing database. This database contains all assigned addresses.
Once an address has been assigned the TSD, which is charged with maintain various GIS data bases loads the addresses onto maps. These maps are then downloaded into both our telephone mapping and Computed Aided Dispatch (CAD) programs that allow our Communications Clerks to instantly reference the address. This aids in giving direction to responding fire, ambulance and police units.
Your Responsibility
All residences and businesses in unincorporated areas of Worcester County are assigned address numbers. Property owners, residents or businesses must post their address numbers immediately. Owners are responsible for purchasing the numbers. Each digit must be:
- At least 3-inches tall
- Made of durable material
- Printed in a contrasting color from the background
- Clearly visible from the street
All numbers need to be seen easily from the road and must be placed immediately above or beside the main door of the building or at the entrance to the property. If any building is more than seventy-five (75) feet from the road, place the numbers at the main entrance or driveway. Be sure they are on the same side of the road as the building you are identifying, even if you mailbox is across the road from your house/building.