Coppell Parks And Trails Installed With Emergency Trail Markers.

From City of Coppell:

If you've visited one of Coppell's many parks or trails recently, you may have noticed a few new additions along the way. The Coppell Parks & Recreation Department has finished installing new emergency trail markers designed to provide park and trail users quick access to care in case of an emergency.

A total of 46 of these wooden posts were placed in parks and along trails in Coppell and feature a color, a letter, and a number code for each park or trail, along with a code for each specific marker. In the event of an emergency — from medical issues to safety concerns — this system provides an easy way for people of all ages to give dispatch their exact location in a park or along a trail for emergency responders.

"Emergency responders require an accurate location in order to provide an efficient response," Coppell Fire Captain Chris Price said. "The trail markers were installed to provide both the citizen and the emergency responder with a location to ensure that help can be provided in a rapid manner."

Park and trail expansion in Coppell prompted the need for updated emergency markers. An old marker system, which consisted of numbers painted on the sidewalks, was used previously, but only along one trail in Andrew Brown Park East and much of the paint had worn away over time. The new markers are widespread to include Andrew Brown Park East, West, and Central, Coppell Nature Park, Hunterwood, Magnolia, and Moore Road parks, along with Campion, Creekview, Denton Creek, Natches Trace, and Westhaven trails. They are also designed for better durability and visibility.

Price reminds residents that it's important to know your location before calling 911. While dispatchers are trained to ask callers for their address or location, residents who need emergency assistance while on Coppell trails can help ensure a quick response by providing this information:

• Tell the dispatcher you are in a park or on a trail and identify it by name if possible
• Look for the nearest emergency trail marker and give the dispatcher the letters, numbers and color displayed on the marker

"The new emergency trail markers will be an important component of maintaining our high standard of service to the community," Coppell Fire Chief Kevin Richardson said. "They will definitely help emergency responders expedite the process and ultimately improve services to remote areas."

This press release was produced by City of Coppell. The views expressed here are the author’s own.