"Protecting the Town of Yesteryear With the Modern Technology of Today"

Dear Richmond Fire District Resident,

Let's imagine that it is 2 o'clock in the morning and you are a Paramedic with the Richmond Fire Department sleeping in quarters at the fire station.  You are awakened by the dispatch tones for a person having chest pains.  As a Medic, you know that it is critical to get your ambulance crew to the patient as fast as possible.  You roll out of your bunk, rush to the ambulance and start driving to the address.  You know where the street is so you take the fastest route there.  But, as you turn onto the street, you find it poorly lit and everything is pitch dark. 

You see nothing looks the same as it does during day light hours, especially at 2 in the morning.  Houses are obscured by nightfall.  Your ambulance slows down as you don't want to miss the driveway or residence.  But it is still difficult as not everyone has an easy to view address marker out in the front of their yard that is easily seen from the ambulance from a distance, that actually lights up as the ambulance approaches.

When you have an emergency, like the one described above, or any other crisis that requires a response from your fire department, response time matters.  Your fire department is staffed 24/7 so we can get to you fast. But now you can help us find your residence at night, when it is harder to find you when it counts.  Through the Richmond Firefighters Association, we are asking you to purchase one of our illuminated address signs for only $19.95.  We will deliver your sign to you personally and help you install it if you want. 

Our signs are small, weather resistant, red in color and are brightly illuminated by the headlights of our ambulances and fire trucks.  Because the sign is typically located near your driveway, it makes it much easier for us to gauge when we are getting closer to your home in the middle of the night.  If you want to help us help you, call our station at 815-678-3672 and let us know that you would like to purchase one of our address signs, or you make click here to send an email request.  We'll take it from there.  Thank you for considering this program.  Once installed, you will know that you've done everything you can to Help Us Find You, When It Counts!

Sincerely,

Rick M. Gallas
Fire Chief

P.S. Rural resident.  The old red fire signs that were used many years ago are no longer in use by the department.  Today, we are dispatched to your actual residence address number.  So you can feel free to take the old signs down.  Keep it for posterity, or discard it appropriately.