Boy, 9, Clears Snow Off a Fire Hydrant, Allowing Firefighters to Save Lives the Next Day

A proactive 9-year-old boy in Iowa is being recognized for helping his local fire department save lives during an emergency.

Local authorities in Fort Dodge, a city in the central part of the state, had been working to clear roads and sidewalks after recent heavy snowfall, per local news outlet KCCI. 

The abundance of snow led the Fort Dodge Fire Department (FDFD) to run a special contest on their Facebook page: families who snapped and shared a photo of themselves clearing snow around a fire hydrant would be eligible for a “ride to school for two kiddos” aboard a fire truck. The hydrants needed to be cleared “three feet on each side,” per the post.

Local kid Colton Holmes rose to the occasion and worked to clear a fire hydrant in his neighborhood. 

“I wanted to help people out and be a hero,” Colton said while speaking to KKCI.

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The following day, firefighters used the specific hydrant that Colton cleared to put out a structure fire that potentially saved lives, per KCCI.

“Given the situation, the heavy snowfall recently, time was of the essence,” Fort Dodge Lt. Devon Schuster told the outlet. “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.”

For his service, Colton received a special patch and “challenge coin” to remind him to continue being a leader, as well as a ride to school in a fire truck, per KCCI and Fox 10.

FDFD said that there were no reported injuries from the incident, though several people and pets were displaced by the fire, per Fox 10.

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PEOPLE reached out to FDFD for comment on Thursday, Dec. 11, but did not receive an immediate response.