9-year-old helps clear fire hydrant, credited with saving lives in Fort Dodge

A 9-year-old boy in Fort Dodge, Iowa, is being celebrated for a simple but lifesaving act. After heavy snow buried fire hydrants around the city, Colton Holmes joined a community effort to help firefighters by clearing the snow away.

For Colton, the decision to participate was easy — he said he wanted to help others and “be a hero.” What he didn’t know was that the hydrant he uncovered would be needed the very next day.

Fort Dodge firefighters used the cleared hydrant to fight a nearby structure fire, saving valuable time when every second counted. Fire officials say fire can double in size every minute, and not having to dig out the hydrant made a crucial difference.

As a thank-you, Colton was honored by Fort Dodge Fire Lt. Devon Schuster with a fire department patch, a challenge coin, and an upcoming ride to school in a fire truck.

Fire crews say the young hero’s actions helped protect lives and property — and offer a reminder of how much impact one person can have in their community.

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