The Squirrel Hill street identified as Zama Road on one end and Anita Avenue on the other, the helter-skelter numbering system on Carrick's Mosgrove Street, the confusing Amanda Avenues in the city's South Hills -- all may be reviewed under new street naming and numbering rules tentatively approved by Pittsburgh City Council yesterday.

If finally approved and signed by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, the measure would impose on new streets, and some of the city's most confusing old ones, National Emergency Number Association rules, which are designed to ensure that ambulances, police and fire trucks can find homes and businesses.

A new, internal city committee "will, first and foremost, look at all new streets," said Councilman Patrick Dowd, who spearheaded the legislation. He said it will review old streets where it sees "a life-threatening situation," that could result in the dispatch of, say, an ambulance to the wrong neighborhood.

"We have streets that sound the same, but are spelled differently," said Public Safety Director Michael Huss. "We have streets that are duplicates. ... That makes it very difficult for emergency responders to find a house."

If public safety workers or residents detect a potentially dangerous numbering or street naming situation, they could report it to the Department of Public Works, which would bring it to the committee. The committee's decisions could be overriden by a six-member council majority.

If a street name or number was changed, the property owners would have to notify banks, utilities and others, and to change their house numbers as needed.

"The older streets are my concern," said Councilwoman Darlene Harris. She said that an address change might be simple for some, but senior citizens, some of whom receive prescriptions by mail, might have more trouble with the change.

"We are not going to go out, day one, and change every street that doesn't follow these standards," said Mr. Huss.

Public safety personnel are aware of at least a half-dozen streets that are problems, and expect to identify more. Non-standard names like The Boulevard in Carrick and One Wild Place near the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium in Highland Park aren't likely to change soon.

Council's tentative vote was 8-0 with Ms. Harris abstaining. A final vote could occur next week.