East Pierce Fire and Rescue wants Lake Tapps residents to make it easier for rescuers to do their job in a water emergency.
The agency has randomly selected 400 residents to receive free incident locator signs.
They are metal signs with a brown background and reflective numbers that can be attached to the end of docks or mounted in backyards.
"Essentially, it's just like an address on the front of your house," said Lake Tapps resident Tom Walsh. "If you didn't have that they'd never find you in an emergency. Same when you're on the water."
Firefighters say boaters calling 911 for help, or to report a water hazard such as a floating log, often try to use landmarks to describe the location, which doesn't always work very well.
Members of the department's water rescue team say the signs will help them help you.
"Without an address, even from the water, it can waste precious minutes," said firefighter Troy Sterrenburg, Assistant Team Leader.
"Having the ability to have these dock sign that will get us pin-pointed to the area, to the location, to the address of the emergency is going to help out tremendously." Sterrenburg said.
There are already several dozen signs on the lake, including one at on the end of his dock.
The fire department has identified more than a thousand suitable locations for incident locator signs.