Oregon’s new beach signs help identify location

PORTLAND – Neon-green signs numbered from 1 to 197 have popped up on the Oregon Coast as part of an effort to help visitors identify their location in an emergency.

The signs stretch for more than 360 miles, from the tip of Fort Stevens State Park in the north to Crissey Field State Park at the California state line. Their numbers can be relayed to 911 dispatchers, who can tie the number to a GPS location as well as the closest beach access point.

Many tourists don’t know a specific beach’s name or other reference points, North Lincoln Fire and Rescue Captain Jim Kusz said. The numbers eliminate the confusion.

“A caller to 911 can say, ‘Hey, I see a big number,’ and we can get there to help,” he told the Oregonian.

The signs vary in distance from one another and can be miles apart in areas where beach access is limited.