Storm Lake Fire Captain Troy Hogrefe Retires After 35 Years of Service

Captain Troy Hogrefe closed out nearly 35 years with the Storm Lake Fire Department when he officially retired on March 10, 2026, ending one of the longest tenures in recent department history.

The Storm Lake Times Pilot announced Hogrefe's retirement in its March 19–20, 2026 issue, marking the departure of a captain whose service stretched back to the early 1990s. Few firefighters in Buena Vista County have worn the badge as long.

The Storm Lake Fire Department, which protects 93 square miles covering the cities of Storm Lake, Truesdale, and Lakeside, as well as the rural townships of Hayes, Washington, and much of Grant, operates as a combination department with two full-time members and 27 volunteer firefighters. A captain's role within that structure carries significant responsibility, both in day-to-day operations and on-scene command during fire suppression, hazardous materials response, and technical rescue calls.

Hogrefe's retirement leaves a gap that nearly four decades of institutional knowledge cannot easily fill. The department has in recent years seen leadership transitions, including the arrival of Fire Chief Glenn Schlesser following another long-tenured firefighter's retirement in November 2021 after 38 years of service.

No details about a retirement ceremony, successor, or Hogrefe's post-retirement plans were available at the time of publication. The department's station is located at 820 Oneida St. in Storm Lake.