Brooklyn —
Walking down South Elliott Place in Fort Greene, a sudden and unexpected spot of color stops passersby in their tracks. Almost exactly in the middle of the block, between DeKalb and Fulton Avenues, sits an unconventional fire hydrant. Its barrel – what firefighters call the main body of the hydrant – is an alternating sequence of red and white stripes. The bonnet – which tops the barrel – is a vivid blue with a line of small white stars encircling the top.
David Roman, 54, who has lived on the block for 24 years, painted the fire hydrant in front of his building the colors of the American flag shortly after 9/11.
