Trinity Trails Adding Emergency Signs

The Tarrant Regional Water District is adding 911 locator signs to help make the Trinity Trails safer.

Starting as early as next week, the TWRD will start putting up 77 signs along the Clear Fork of the Trinity between Highway 183 and the confluence with the West Fork near downtown Fort Worth.

The signs read "your 911 location is," followed by "CF" for Clear Fork and a corresponding number. When people call 911, they can tell the operator the location letters and numbers so the operator will know where they are.

Knowing where you are along the 45-mile trail system can be difficult, especially if you're not familiar with the area.

"Those calling in probably don't have a clue where they're at," said James Newsom, of Fort Worth Running Co. "If you start at 183, it all kind of looks the same when you're out on the trail."

In an emergency, that could mean life or death.

Streams & Valleys, a nonprofit group that works in association with TWRD and the Trinity River Vision on the trails, said it gets two to three calls per month in which location signs could help.

"Our accidents range from a skinned knee to something as serious as a heart attack," said Adelaide Leavens, Streams & Valleys executive director. "And if any of those can be responded to by emergency vehicles a few seconds or minutes [earlier] to get to these people, then it's money well spent."

The water district said it is spending $10,000 for the signs, which will be placed about 1,000 feet apart along the trails.

"It's a relatively small cost when it comes to saving people's lives, so if we save one live, it's well worth it," said Chad Lorance, TWRD spokesman.

Emergency operators will also be able to give first responders direct routes to the trail based on the location numbers. And the signs will also aid TWRD maintenance crews.

Lorance said TWRD would consider adding more of the signs along the West Fork of the Trinity next year.