News
Confusion over address raises questions
LONDONDERRY — A fire that destroyed a Spring Road home Sunday as firefighters from other communities were still looking for the blaze highlights the need to resolve a problem with streets having the same or similar names, emergency officials said.
Confusion over responding to correct addresses during emergencies remains a dilemma statewide, but is much less common than it was a decade ago, the officials said.
Londonderry fire Chief Kevin MacCaffrie said a town committee is in the midst of recommending changes to streets with the same or similar names. These changes are expected to clear up any confusion firefighters may have over where to go in an emergency.
On Sunday morning, Londonderry firefighters responded to 55 Spring Road, finding Robert Simmons' home engulfed in flames, MacCaffrie said. The residence was destroyed.
But the Pelham and Windham fire departments, providing water tankers in a mutual aid response, were delayed for about five minutes because their Global Positioning System units directed them to the wrong section of Spring Road. The road is divided into three sections and separated by other streets.
MacCaffrie does not know if any or all of the home could have been saved had those fire departments responded directly.
Much of the house was ablaze when Londonderry firefighters arrived.
But the fire chief did say the confusion over the road name needs attention. He expects the town will rename two of the sections of Spring Road to solve the problem.
Bruce Cheney, director of the state Bureau of Emergency Communication for 16 years, said his office has been working with Londonderry to solve the problem with street names. Such problems are much less common now than years ago, he said. Cheney estimates that emergency responses to incorrect addresses occur once or twice a month in the state, while it happened dozens of times a month 15 years ago.
There are fewer problems because towns have renamed many roads that caused confusion.
Towns have the authority to change road names and numbers though they typically consult with residents who live at those addresses before enacting changes, he said.
It is homeowners, not town officials, who typically resist the address changes, he said. The residents often worry that the change will be a huge inconvenience and expense.
Ron Dumont, who called 911 on Sunday when he noticed his neighbor's home on fire, learned before he moved into his home four years ago that some people had a hard time finding Spring Road.
"Everyone who isn't from the area has problems," he said.
Dumont isn't concerned about local firefighters or police responding directly to his house in an emergency — he assumes the local responders will know where to go. He does worry that firefighters from another town might not know where to go.
On Sunday morning, Dumont heard a pop and then a male voice screaming for help, prompting him to call 911 once he saw the fire in his neighbor's house.
MacCaffrie said the blaze started on the main floor while Simmons was in the basement.
Simmons went upstairs and noticed the couch on fire. Unable to extinguish the flames, he tried dragging the couch out of the house, but the fire spread to the Christmas tree and throughout the house.
Firefighters received the report of the fire at 9:04 a.m. and responded at 9:08, finding much of the home in flames.
Londonderry firefighters were running low on water by the time the tankers from Windham and Pelham arrived to replenish their supply.
MacCaffrie said the 911 reports were routed from the state dispatch center to the town dispatch center, and the town dispatcher offered directions to the Pelham and Windham departments, but they said they had the directions on their GPS units.
Simmons, who was alone when the fire broke out, received burns to his hands, arms, face and head, according to Londonderry fire Capt. Darren O'Brien. Simmons was taken to the hospital, where he was treated and released, MacCaffrie said.
Simmons and his family are staying with friends or relatives, the fire chief said.
Pelham fire Chief Jim Midgley said the apparent confusion Sunday underscores the need for change.
"This fire in Londonderry shows exactly why it needs to get done." Midgley said.
Pelham had a similar problem with Hillcrest Lane.
The road had three distinct sections. Earlier this year, two of those sections were renamed, he said.
Town officials have resolved confusion on some of Pelham's larger roads but still plan to make changes to smaller roads, he said.
In Derry, the Fire Department has been changing road names and numbers since the mid-1990s, Battalion Chief Jack Webb said.
He said address confusion has not been a problem in town.
"Usually GPS is reliable," Webb said.
MacCaffrie said his department has experienced confusion with addresses on a few occasions, but there were no dire consequences.
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Spectator
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