ORANGE BEACH , Ala. — What better way to bring the summer to a close than with a good old-fashioned, wet and wild, water party.

Kids from all over Pleasure Island put on their swimsuits and headed for Water Front Park in Orange Beach on Tuesday as the police and fire departments combined to host the fourth annual “Kids Night Out.”

Kids were everywhere, as were parents, pets, city officials, and even tourists who were getting in their last few days of summer vacation.

The event, however, was not just about fun and games, water slides and all the free hot dogs you could eat. There was a bigger purpose.

“The object of the event is to get a photograph, DNA, and fingerprint of every child in the community. That is really what this event is all about,” said Sgt. Jay “Packy” Dempsey of the Orange Beach Police Department who spearheads the event. “If a child should come up missing, this allows us to have all of their information on file.”

Dempsey said that water slides, hot dogs, and ice cream, all donated from the community, are simply used as a tool to get as many parents and children together at one time so that they can retrieve their information.

“Another thing that this does is give the people in the community a chance to meet the police officers,” Dempsey said.

Now in its fourth year, the event is bringing in more kids than ever before.

“In addition to the donations that are made, I probably have 50 volunteers from the community, and that is a big deal in order to make this program work.”

Before the water slides and vending trailers are set up, Dempsey said that the power company has to come in and set up a special meter, as does the water company.

“It doesn’t just happen. But everyone involved is doing it for the betterment of the community. This isn’t something we do for profit, but for the safety of our kids.”