apparatus is disclosed that will temporarily identify a building , house , or other structure to which emergency personnel have been dispatched . the apparatus , which is activated remotely by an emergency service dispatcher , includes , in one embodiment , a high - intensity stroboscopic light emitting diode placed in a location that is visible from the exterior of the structure , especially from the street . the circuit that activates and deactivates the led is triggered by the dispatcher , who causes a specific tone to be transmitted over the telephone line after an individual in the structure telephones the emergency dispatcher . this new apparatus allows the practice of a new method for assuring that dispatched emergency personnel quickly and easily find the emergency site when they arrive at the general locale of the emergency . the method involves the activating of the dispatcher - activated response identification light by the dispatcher over the telephone line used by the person who telephones for emergency help .