In most emergencies, responders find their destination using a routine street address. What if street signage isn’t available or you are in an unfamiliar area with no distinguishing landmarks, how will responders locate you in those situations? Fortunately, there is a nationally recognized coordinate system that became the standard for this purpose in 2001 – the United States National Grid (USNG) system.
Johnson County Emergency Management in partnership with the Johnson County Conservation Department and the Johnson County 911 Service Board recently purchased and installed six USNG signs along the Hoover Trail northwest of Solon. The new signs will serve as reference points for trail users and responders to effectively communicate their location on the trail reducing delayed responses or misrouting of emergency response personnel. Existing street signs and landmarks can still provide important information for responders, but adding another identifiable reference point will strengthen communication.