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Family urges county to fix rural addressing after child’s death
Summary
A Clover Valley family told the Elko County Commission that mismatched addresses and GPS routing impeded emergency response after a 6‑year‑old stopped breathing; they urged the county to ensure rural addresses work with dispatch systems and mapping services.
Evelyn Black, identifying herself as a 7‑year‑old resident of Clover Valley, described the death of her friend Piper and told commissioners that emergency responders had trouble finding homes because assigned addresses do not match GPS or dispatch locations. "I am asking you to make our addresses be compatible with emergency services," she said, asking the commission to assign addresses that GPS will recognize.
Sherry Braff, Evelyn’s grandmother, said the first call came in at 09:18 and that state troopers arrived first because local ambulance resources were deployed elsewhere. Braff stressed the problem is not local only but statewide, noting repeated attempts to correct Google Maps and the mismatch between mailing and physical addresses. "We just need to have some bridges built," she said, asking county staff to continue coordination with state dispatch and mapping services.
Commissioners acknowledged the concern, offered condolences and said staff and EMS will review dispatch coordinates and address data. Chair said the county’s EMS and mapping teams are 'actively looking at' what can be learned and whether address records in county and state systems can be improved to reduce response times.
