Paint the Town Red: 100 Hydrants Get a Makeover

Joey Dinkelman and his team of 21 volunteers spent 243 man-hours painting 100 fire hydrants across West Jordan City this spring. From River Bottom to Redwood and into Jordan Landing, these fire hydrants now have a fresh, vibrant coat of red paint.

Dinkleman was searching for a project to complete his Eagle Scout rank and fulfill the scout oath: "To help other people at all times." While brainstorming ideas, he noticed many hydrants "in need of serious help" as he drove around town with his family.

"The knobs were blue, some of them were rusty, not even red," Dinkelman said.

Bright, freshly painted hydrants are easier for firefighters to spot, especially at night. Because a fire can double every 30-seconds, a visible fire hydrant can be the difference between a smoulder and a bonfire.

To get started, Dinkelman called Glori Buchei, West Jordan's Community Outreach Coordinator to get the ready-made Hydrant Painting kits and he was ready to go.

The Hydrant Painting Program is open to all residents. Each kit includes:

• Brushes and trays
• Rags and gloves
• Paint buckets and openers
• Mallets
• Cleaners

Joey and his volunteers took 20 to 25 minutes to complete each fire hydrant from cleaning and scrubbing off dirt to painting.

To paint 100 hydrants took many hours. Friends and family gave them a boost, but Joey, his brother and mother did the bulk of the work.

"The Scout Troop and community members helped for four hours on a Saturday," said Jenifer Dinkelman, Joey's Mother. "The rest of the time it was him and brothers and Mom. It took three additional days. One day was a fourteen-hour day."

Joey's advice is simple. "If you notice something, mention it to the city and ask if you can help."

By Erin Dixon