IOWA, La. (KPLC) – It’s a bittersweet moment for Iowa firefighters as one of their stations was destroyed earlier this week.
The Iowa Volunteer Fire Department’s Thomson Ave. Station has seen its fair share of unfortunate situations, but Fire Chief Charlotte Lantier says the station has also seen its good times.
The station was built in the 1990s and was severely damaged by Hurricane Laura in 2020.
“And after Laura, the station was damaged beyond repair – a lot of fighting with the insurance company, a lot of paperwork with FEMA, and then when I took over, I just continued the work that had been started,” Lantier said.
After a fire in March of this year, the station was no longer usable and was ultimately demolished.
“It was an eyesore for almost four years and it was very bittersweet to see it go,” Lantier said. “So many people have come to that station with training, multi-agency training, meetings and so on and it’s just really sad to see it go.”
Plans for a new station are in the works, but the location of the station is subject to change.
Lantier says they are trying to make a deal with a property on U.S. 90, but if the deal doesn’t go through, they will rebuild on the Thomson Ave. property. She says the fire department has been calling for the relocation for many years.
“The main reason was that we were so close to the tracks when there was an accident on the tracks that it affected our response. They were afraid that, for example, a train would derail or someone would hit the tracks and we would not be able to leave our station. That was the main problem,” Lantier said.
The proposed location would also help the department improve its fire safety rating.
The department is made up entirely of volunteers, and Lantier said more people are always needed. Iowa also has a youth fire department, so young people as young as 15 can volunteer at the station.
The fire department is also hosting a “Purses and Guns” fundraiser bingo on Nov. 2 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 503 U.S. 90. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., and games begin at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at the Iowa Fire Station, 739 West Miller Ave.
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