FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the ETSB?
The Emergency Telephone System Board or ETSB is an administrative agency of Jersey County government established by the Jersey County Board pursuant to a statutory mandate after the citizens of Jersey County approved the collection of a surcharge to fund the implementation of enhanced 911 service. The ETSB's powers and duties are defined by the Emergency Telephone System Act (50 ILCS 750) and the Illinois Administrative Code (Title 83 Part 1325) and include implementing and overseeing 911 service in Jersey County.
Why were new addresses needed for 9-1-1?
New addresses were needed because the existing addresses were neither uniform nor consistent throughout the county. Also, rural routes do not represent a physical address for residences or businesses, but a source for routes to be taken and/or a mail drop. Because 911 deals with sending responders to a specific address, a uniform and specific method to determine the location of callers was needed.
How is the addressing system laid out?
The ETSB is using the same format as the rural reference system in that a point of origin is located in the southwestern corner of the county. As one travels north and east in the county the numbers increase, each mile representing another jump in the first two digits of the address. The primary difference is that instead of starting at 000 by 000, the start point was set as 10,000 by 10,000, allowing for a uniform 5 digits throughout the county.
Why are 5-digit addresses needed?
Jersey County does not have an ordinance or resolution restricting land development, therefore there isn’t a guideline as to how many times a piece of land may be subdivided. The ETSB decided that a format which would cover a maximum number of homes per mile was needed.
With 5 digits, each mile of road is capable of supporting a theoretical maximum of 1,000 homes (0-998 on one side of the road and 1-999). The addresses can be thought of as mile marker and an equal 1,000th division of a mile. The system can also be seen as the first three digits representing a block number and the last two as a house number.
With 5 digits, each mile of road is capable of supporting a theoretical maximum of 1,000 homes (0-998 on one side of the road and 1-999). The addresses can be thought of as mile marker and an equal 1,000th division of a mile. The system can also be seen as the first three digits representing a block number and the last two as a house number.
I have a 9-1-1 address, why is it changing?
There are occasions when an existing 9-1-1 address may need to be changed in order to conform to Jersey County's addressing standards. Most of the time this occurs when the road/lane/drive (public or private) that a structure accesses needs to be given a unique name due to more than three structures accessing the same road/lane/drive. When a new road name is assigned, the address range for the road is calculated and the structures on the road are assigned a numerical address within the address range.
For more information regarding the necessity of assigning appropriate addresses, click here to download/read the Jersey County 9-1-1 Addressing & Street Naming Frequently Asked Questions & Guidelines.
For more information regarding the necessity of assigning appropriate addresses, click here to download/read the Jersey County 9-1-1 Addressing & Street Naming Frequently Asked Questions & Guidelines.
I have a new address, why does it not show in my gps unit, my navigation device or on sites like google earth/maps?
GPS companies usually obtain data from national or global commercial data providers who may not have the most up-to-date files. Additionally, these companies may not update their data on a regular basis. The Jersey County 9-1-1 System has no control over how often GPS providers update their information and it may take a period of time before your new address is locatable using these systems.
Why don't the cities have 5-digit addresses?
According to Illinois law, municipalities have the right to self-determination in road names and house numbers. Therefore by being a incorporated area, or a municipality, they are responsible for setting and determining an addressing system. The ETSB has been tasked with determining and implementing a uniform addressing system for the unincorporated or non-municipal areas.
These areas also include areas that may already have addresses but yet do not fit into the uniform system for the entire county. Specifically the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-80-18 and 11-80-19 (West 1994)) unambiguously vest the authority to regulate street names, building and lot numbers within the corporate boundaries of a municipality in the corporate authorities thereof:
"The corporate authorities of each municipality may regulate the numbering of buildings and lots . No change in the numbering of buildings and lots shall be effective until 30 days after the election authorities having jurisdiction in the area in which such numbering is changed and the post office branch serving that area have been notified by the corporate authority initiating such action of the change in writing by certified or registered mail." (Emphasis added.)
"The corporate authorities of each municipality may name originally and then may change the name of any street, avenue, alley, or other public place . No change in the name of any street, avenue, alley or other public place shall be effective until 30 days after the election authorities having jurisdiction in the area in which the name of the public place is changed and the post office branch serving that area have been notified by the corporate authority initiating such action of the change in writing by certified or registered mail." (Emphasis added.)
These areas also include areas that may already have addresses but yet do not fit into the uniform system for the entire county. Specifically the Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-80-18 and 11-80-19 (West 1994)) unambiguously vest the authority to regulate street names, building and lot numbers within the corporate boundaries of a municipality in the corporate authorities thereof:
"The corporate authorities of each municipality may regulate the numbering of buildings and lots . No change in the numbering of buildings and lots shall be effective until 30 days after the election authorities having jurisdiction in the area in which such numbering is changed and the post office branch serving that area have been notified by the corporate authority initiating such action of the change in writing by certified or registered mail." (Emphasis added.)
"The corporate authorities of each municipality may name originally and then may change the name of any street, avenue, alley, or other public place . No change in the name of any street, avenue, alley or other public place shall be effective until 30 days after the election authorities having jurisdiction in the area in which the name of the public place is changed and the post office branch serving that area have been notified by the corporate authority initiating such action of the change in writing by certified or registered mail." (Emphasis added.)
what happens if a municipality that has a different addressing system annexes me
According to Illinois law the municipality has the right to use the existing address or to issue an address, which conforms, to their system of addressing.
I received an address notification and my name was wrong or misspelled, do i need a new notification?
Not necessarily, the primary focus of the address notification is to get the rural route and box information tied with a more permanent structure number. The database that will be used as the backbone of the 911 system will come from updated telephone records. As citizens inform the telephone companies of the new 911 address by using the address change area of the billing statement, 911 will have its records corrected as the companies update their records.
I am building a new structure on my property and will have a new telephone number for that location. will it need its own 9-1-1 address and if so, how do i get one?
Call here to view the Addressing Assignments page for more information on how to apply for a new address.
Why was gps used to determine my address?
The Global Positioning System was used, to determine to a high degree of accuracy, the location of structures and driveways in the county. Of the various systems that could be used to determine the location, GPS was the easiest, economical, and most reliable system available to the ETSB. The Global Positioning System was also used to create maps of the roads in the county.
Why does the telecommunicator ask so many questions? is this delaying help being sent to me?
The Telecommunicator is trained to ask questions for police, fire, and medical calls. The Telecommunicator is asking questions to provide as much information as possible to the responders (police, fire, paramedics) for their and your safety, and so that the responders can efficiently help solve your problem when they arrive. In addition, the Telecommunicator is trained to deliver potentially life-saving instructions over the phone before paramedics arrive. Asking these questions or giving instructions is not delaying help, as the COMPUTER-AIDED-DISPATCH (CAD) system allows for all the Telecommunicators in the communication center to work together. While one Telecommunicator is handling your call, another Telecommunicator is dispatching the help!
why does the telecommunicator ask me for my address if its on the screen when my call comes in?
When a Telecommunicator receives a 9-1-1 call from your land-line, they receive your address and phone number. When a Telecommunicator receives a 9-1-1 call from your cell phone, they receive your phone number and a latitude and longitude reading which then gets translated into an address. It is a national standard to ask you for your address and then verify the information provided against what is on the computer screen in both cases. Verifying the location of the incident is the most important thing the Telecommunicator does. If we don’t get help to the correct location, we have failed. Computer systems can be wrong, so asking for the address and verifying it is crucial.
Does text-to-911 work in Jersey county?
Yes, Text-to-911 was announced as being available in Jersey County in June 2018. Its important to remember that this service may not work with all carriers and like all text message from a cellular device, there may be limitations and circumstances that do not allow a text message to be received. For more information click here to read our text-to-911 informational flyer or here to read our text-to-911 handout.