LEXINGTON, S.C. — Reflective address signs are small, but can be life-saving on the water.
This is what the Lake Murray Association said, and it's one of the reasons the group posted about their signs on Facebook after a recent plane crash on the lake.
"With this last incident here recently of this airplane parachuting down at the water's edge, one of our board members made a comment on there that it would be a good time to put a dock sign on your dock if you don't have one," said David Landis, Lake Murray Association president.
These signs can help emergency personnel respond especially quick to life-threatening situations.
The nonprofit usually sells about 15-20 signs in a whole year, but after the recent plane crash, they started working on about 50 orders.
They're hoping to have all the signs delivered by the end of this week or the beginning of next.
The money is then reinvested into boat safety programs for children and adults. These programs include a lady's day on the lake and a week-long summer camp for kids 9-12.
"Our four main things that we're concerned about is lake levels, safety on the lake, shoreline management and water quality," Landis said.
According to Lexington County Council and Dominion Energy Lake Management, there's no requirement for having this signage, but it's encouraged.
RELATED: Small plane crashes into Lake Murray
As far as where you can put the sign, it can be anywhere on the dock that's visible. That can include the stationary dock or the floating dock.
One lakeside resident, Roy Parker, said he's had his sign for the last 15 years.
"I think it's very helpful. In case of an emergency, it would be very valuable to save time," Roy Parker, Lake Murray homeowner said. "The lake is very big and this is a method of identifying specific locations."
According to Lt. Col. Jamie Landrum, assistant deputy director for the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR), the authority for Lake Keowee in the Upstate is working on a plan to issue dock permit number signs for each dock permit holder on the lake.
Each dock permit number sign would be kept on file to that property’s street address so dispatchers or responders could quickly find a property’s street address based on the dock permit number visible from the water.
To learn more about placing an order for one of these waterfront address signs, click here.
