As citizens, we’ve all been asked to be on alert for kids with spray paint in an effort to help the city fight the rampant onset of graffiti. But, not all teenagers wielding spray cans are malicious.

During the months of December and January, the young men and women of the Peachtree City Fire Department’s Explorer Post 209 will be repainting fire hydrants throughout the city.

Having the hydrants clearly visible improves our city’s safety rating with the Insurance Service Organization (ISO) that may help hold down insurance costs for home and business owners, but it also helps the responding firefighters quickly find hydrants during an emergency.

As a way to give back to the community, the Explorers are donating large portions of their holiday break to paint the over 2,000 fire hydrants located within the city limits of Peachtree City.

So, if you see a young person in a red Fire Department shirt with a spray can headed to your neighborhood fire hydrant, instead of dialing the police to report a kid with spray paint, please take time to thank them for helping keep our city safer.

The Explorers program provides training and instruction to young people who are interested in pursuing a career in the fire service or are interested in helping the community.

These dedicated young men and women spend a considerable amount of time learning firefighting and rescue techniques, leadership skills, and other life learning skills which are taught by Peachtree City firefighters, who volunteer their days off to invest in the future of our profession and the young people of the community.

For more information on the Explorers program, log on at www.pcfd.com/explorers.

Les Dyer

Peachtree City, Ga.

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