Home map grid info aids 999 calls

The fire service said any extra information is welcome

Map grid references of 250 homes in a rural part of north Wales have been detailed for householders to help direct emergency services during calls.

It follows concerns by people living in the Tŷ'n-y-Groes area of Conwy about how difficult it was for the emergency services to locate rural properties.

The cards printed with a personalised grid reference have been delivered.

A spokeswoman for the North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said any extra detail was welcome in a rural area.

Tŷ'n-y-Groes Residents Association members have hand-delivered 250 blue cards with property grid references to residents in Tŷ'n-y-Groes, Tal-y-Cafn, Caerhun, Pontwgan and Hen Efail.

At 3am it could mean the difference between someone (from the emergency services) coming or not Jeff Smith, residents association

"The idea came from one of the public meetings we held, where people said they were concerned about the emergency services finding them with just the post code, which can cover up to half a mile in a rural area," said the association's Jeff Smith.

"We got the grid reference numbers for 250 properties in the Tŷ'n-y-Groes postal area and printed them out ourselves, and then hand delivered them," he added.

Mr Smith said the response from householders had been positive.

"We've told everyone to keep them by the telephone because at 3am it could mean the difference between someone (from the emergency services) coming or not," he said.

It is the second time the residents association have been involved in improving safety in their community.

'Brilliant idea'

Last year they won an award for a leaflet they produced with safety advice and emergency numbers covering household emergencies such as the electricity going off.

Local businessman and community councillor Peredur Morris said he welcomed the grid reference cards.

"It's a brilliant idea as everyone will now have this information to hand if they need to phone," he said.

In August last year, the fire service apologised for a delay which resulted in a house in Llanfair Talhaiarn in Conwy being badly damaged.

A fire service spokeswoman said however that the incident in Conwy was not a result of not having a full address, and a full inquiry had ensured that the same thing would not happen again.

"In general though having the grid reference to a property is a good thing, " she said.

"In a rural area it is something extra," she added.