Project Warns Public About Fire Danger
Ben Goodman led and his Boy Scout troop followed.
The result was an adjustable sign in front of the District 8 fire station at the corner of 44th and Bates indicating the level of fire danger.
A handful of members from Troop 468 dug post holes, mixed and poured concrete and erected the sign on the fire station lawn Thursday morning.
“I am going to lift up and I want you guys to kick some dirt in there,” Goodman instructed his troop.
Goodman, 16, organized the sign-building project as part of the last step toward earning his Eagle Scout rank. The idea of the Eagle Scout program is to teach leadership and organizational skills.
“It really stands out to people because it shows you’re a hard worker and you stuck with the program,” said Goodman, who will be a junior at Freeman High School this fall.
The sign took Goodman and Troop 468 about two weeks to complete. Duties included staining the sign brown, routing and painting the letters and attaching the adjustable metal arrow that indicates the fire-danger level.
“I hope people will be aware of the danger in this area,” Goodman said. “We had firestorm up here a couple of years ago and so I thought this would be a pretty good idea.”
Goodman got the idea from a similar sign near Sandpoint. Materials for the District 8 project were donated by local businesses and a troop member’s father. The donors included Valley Best-Way Building Supply Inc., United Paint and Coating, Sky Rentals and Sales and Tracy Lybarger.
Scouting has been a part of Goodman’s life on and off beginning early in grade school. He enjoys camping, hiking, fishing and many of the other outdoor activities scouting has to offer.
“Getting away from the city takes your mind off things,” Goodman said. “Plus, you learn a lot out there you wouldn’t in town.”
Scouts have also provided Goodman and his father, Fred, a chance to spend some extra time together.
“There were so many outings we went on as father and son that we wouldn’t have gone on otherwise,” Fred Goodman said. “The neat thing is Ben’s learned enough that we could take him out, throw him into the woods and never worry about him. And that’s a neat feeling.”
Fred Goodman also helped troop 468 build the fire danger sign, mostly providing the adult supervision the project required. He was on hand Thursday to supervise the erection of the sign.
District 8 paramedic Garry Frey hoped the sign would help dispel the myth about spring rain preventing summer fires.
“It’s kind of a blinder to the public who thinks the rain is good,” Garry Frey said. “You have to watch later in the summer because all of that stuff that grew will dry out and be a fire danger.
“This is good for the community,” Frey added. “(Goodman) thought of them when he thought of this.”
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