Resident suggests orange fire hydrants and orange fire trucks as civic branding idea

A lifelong resident and business owner urged the council on July 22 to consider orange fire hydrants and orange fire trucks as part of a local civic-branding idea. The nut graf: The suggestion came during the citizen-comment period as a nonpolicy request to place the idea on the public record; no city action was taken. Steve Maddox, who said he has lived in Orange his entire life and attended Cove Elementary School, told council members he was "pumped up" by earlier discussion of fire-related topics and asked that the council "consider, and I'd like to have it in the record, about the fire hydrants" and, when the city purchases new fire equipment, to consider orange as the vehicle color. "It would be really cool to have orange fire hydrants and to consider the next time we buy a new fire truck that we get it orange," Maddox said. He framed the suggestion as a community-spirited idea and said he hoped the concept "would take off and grow." The comment was recorded during public comment and did not result in a staff assignment or motion. Ending: The suggestion was entered into the public record as a citizen comment; staff did not announce follow-up steps or budget implications.