VASSALBORO – Although countless lives and properties have been saved as a result of Maine’s Enhanced 911 system, not all users are reaping its full benefits, according to the Department of Public Safety.

The reason, according to Albert E. Gervenack, director of the Emergency Services Communication Bureau, is that 24 towns have yet to convert from rural route style addresses to street addresses.

Towns that have not completed addressing include Chesterville, Eustis and Rangeley Plantation.

When calling from a traditional wire line phone, E911 service automatically displays a caller’s address on a computer screen at a local emergency call answering center. E911 also uses the caller’s address, not telephone exchange, to direct a call to the appropriate emergency agency.

“If the caller is unable provide directions to the dispatcher because they are unable to talk or are unfamiliar to the area, it could mean the difference between life and death,” Gervenack said.

The addressing process requires naming all roads, including fire lanes and private roads, with unique names and assigning numbers consistently to all properties.

Once the road names and property numbers are assigned and adopted by the community, the new physical addresses can be used for E911 service and also for other delivery services.