Iowa Boy Clears Snow Off Fire Hydrant, Becomes A Lifesaving Action

A 9-year-old boy in Iowa is reminding us all to keep the snow shoveled.

It's been an obnoxiously snowy couple of weeks and besides driving risks, there's also one you may not have thought of: keeping fire hydrants accessible.

A contest in Fort Dodge challenged kids to keep snow cleared from fire hydrants for a chance to win a ride to school in a firetruck. 9-year-old Colton Holmes was excited to enter the contest and it happened just in time.

According to KCCI, the day right after Colton cleared the snow from the fire hydrant, there was a nearby structure fire. The cleared hydrant made it possible for firefighters to work. 7 people and 6 dogs were saved.

Fort Dodge Lt. Devon Schuster said:

Given the situation, the heavy snowfall recently, time was of the essence. Fire actually doubles in size every minute, so the fact that we didn't have to dig out a fire hydrant saved us an immense amount of time.

As to why he entered the contest, Colton said:

I wanted to help people out and be a hero.

Colton was gifted a patch and a challenge coin, as well as a ride to school in the firetruck.

As for what started the fire, officials say it was caused by an electrical issue in the attic. No injuries were reported.

It may sound counterintuitive, but according to FireRescue1, fighting fires is significantly harder in the snow. It's harder for responders to get the lay of the land when it's covered in snow, it can affect their equipment, and thick snow can be challenging to walk through.