Tecumseh is working on a plan to make sure emergency responders can locate vacant rural properties in the municipality.
As it stands now, many rural properties don't have a physical address — meaning if an emergency occurs, police, fire and ambulance often have a tough time finding the property and how to access it.
Resident Josette Eugeni brought the request to the town and says emergency responders have to rely on directions given over the phone.
"It's fairly common that farm fields are named by, you know, turn at the red barn or the mailbox that looks like a tractor, it's the next entrance. These kinds of things aren't helpful when we're trying to get emergency responders to the field."
Councillor Rick Tonial is a retired police officer and says most calls come in on a cell phone, making the problem even worse.
"Nowadays, people are using cell phones more than land phones. So the dispatchers can't identify the home. If we have properties that don't even have a home, that's even more of an issue. As a past police officer, I can tell you we've been to many calls that were just out there somewhere and that is dangerous and it's unsafe."
Deputy mayor Joe Bachetti says he'd like to see all Windsor-Essex municipalities get on board.
"This is more of a county wide initiative as well because whether it be LaSalle or Essex, it's not only just a Tecumseh solution. Perhaps we could forward this and consult with the county where we can have a regional approach because there is no municipal boundaries when it comes to first responders."
Administration will now put together a report on 911 signage for vacant rural properties which will be brought to council at a future meeting.
The town already provides addresses and 911 signs for rural properties that are occupied.