Downtown Thor, Iowa was ablaze back on December 10, 2021. The old Humboldt Trust & Savings Bank and a neighboring vacant building were engulfed in fire. Thor’s Fire Chief, Kevin Olson, responded to the scene and began moving trucks out of the fire’s path in his own fire station, located next door. Six fire departments responded to help extinguish the flames as the fire ultimately destroyed the two vacant buildings and caused structural damage to the Thor-Norway Fire Station. Ann Street, the main road in downtown Thor, looks a little different today.
Clay Hansen, project coordinator for the fire station fundraising effort, is appreciative of the support. "We are really blessed because we started off with a nice insurance reimbursement check, we received a grant from the Humboldt County Community Foundation, and other groups within the community came forward to donate."
The new fire station pictured in September 2023. Due to these funds, the fire department has been able to tear down and rebuild their station and even add a few essential amenities. One new feature is a door at the rear of the station allowing a bay for the water truck to drive through for filling, many rural fires require the department to haul water.
Hansen, a former volunteer fireman, is excited about the new building. "I think it will help stimulate the local fire department and volunteers. They take a lot of pride in what they do."
Marcie Boerner, Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association COO, presents a check for $5,000 to Clay Hansen, the project coordinator for constructing the new fire station in Thor, Iowa.
"Volunteer Fire Departments are extremely important to our rural areas. Those that volunteer with the department care about their community and typically volunteer in many other ways." adds Boerner.
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association provides Landline Telephone, Digital TV and Internet service to 20 rural communities on a Fiber driven network just outside the Fort Dodge, Iowa area: Pilot Mound, Boxholm, Lanyon, Paton, Churdan, Farnhamville, Gowrie, Somers, Moorland, Knierim, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent, Duncombe and in the towns of Lohrville, Manson, Rockwell City and Lake City. www.wccta.net
WCCTA is Gigabit Certified and designated a Smart Rural Community by NTCA: the Rural Broadband Association.