Fire Hydrant Willy: 71-year-old man adds shine to Red Oak hydrants

Last May, Willy Baker went to the Red Oak Water Department to see if he could paint the fire hydrant in his front yard.

Little did they know, he would turn that one hydrant into over 90 hydrants citywide.

The 71-year-old retiree started with the hydrant in his front yard and then continued to get all five hydrants down Sunset Avenue.

He continued to add a shiny new coat to all of the hydrants from Highway 34 to Oak Street and from Eighth Street to Broadway Street.

“I needed something to do. I’ve painted and hung wallpaper, and was head of maintenance for ROMECH for 18 years. I didn’t let it interrupt my golf game though,” Baker laughed.

As RAGBRAI was getting closer, Baker with the help of his son Brad Baker, continued painting all of the hydrants lining Fourth Street and Fountain Square.

“There were going to be quite an influx of people coming through here,” Baker said about RAGBRAI. “Hydrants aren’t really a nice think to look at on their own, but I thought a fresh coat of paint would help them look nice.

Baker averaged about five hydrants a day as he rode in his golf cart from block to block. On a cool day, he finished 13.

“I would sometimes have to take some breaks under a nice shade tree. Sometimes even looking for hydrants that were under a tree to work on,” Baker said.

After Baker completely repainted more than 20 percent of the 450 hydrants in Red Oak he decided to hang up his paint brush.

“After I finished the 13 around Fountain Square I decided, ‘well, that is enough for right now’”, Baker said about how many more he would do. “I still have the paint, and I’m not sure if I will get up the ambition go ahead and paint them or if I will give Kevin (Johnson) back his paint.”

Johnson is the Superintendent of the Red Oak Water Department.

Red Oak Water Department is always looking for more volunteers, like Baker, that are willing to help to keep Red Oak beautiful.

“We occasionally have people that come in to ask if we have any paint to work on the hydrant in their own yard,” Johnson said. “But we really appreciate all the work Willy has done all on his own. It was beyond where he started and he helped our community when we really needed it with RAGBRAI coming in.”

If any individuals or organizations would like to help, contact Kevin Johnson at 623-6526.