Joking about the sudden thunderstorm that pelted Fairfield Thursday morning, Roland L. Hansen walked across the rain-soaked street to the Historic Fairfield Schoolhouse to receive the Benjamin Franklin Award from the National Weather Service for 55 years service as a volunteer weather observer.

Once inside the schoolhouse and out of the storm, directors from the National Weather Service joined Hansen and his family and friends for the award presentation in front of a visiting fifth grade class from Jordan Crest Elementary School in South Jordan.

Robert Diaz, acting deputy director for the Western Region of the National Weather Service, read a letter of commendation and honored Hansen for his reliable weather observations as well as his over half-century of service.

"For 55 years, he has provided dependable, accurate and timely weather observations that have defined the climate near his Cedar Valley site. He has taken more than 20,000 daily weather observations," the letter said. Praising Hansen's dedication to recording and compiling weather observations, Diaz said, "You have distinguished yourself by joining such notable American pioneers as Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson who maintained early weather records."

Dr. Larry Dunn, Meteorologist in Charge of the Salt Lake City field office of the National Weather Service, presented Hansen with a framed certificate and pin and praised his spirit of volunteerism. Dunn said that Hansen is one of over 11,000 volunteers nationwide who provide weather statistics through the Cooperative Weather Observer Program (COOP).

Diaz explained to the fifth grade students that volunteer weather observers provide on-the-ground information that helps meteorologists, climatologists and conservationists predict weather and use resources wisely.

"Roland personifies the conscientious and unselfish weather observers imagined by Thomas Jefferson when he envisioned a weather network across the United States. Clearly, he deserves the recognition this award bestows for the life-long contribution to the nation's climate record and this community," Diaz said.

Also in attendance at the award presentation were Susan Nelson, Western Region Cooperative Program Manager and Steve Summy, Observations Program Manager of the Salt Lake City field office. Hansen's previous weather-observation awards include the John Campanius Holm Award in 1987 and the Edward H. Stoll award in 2003.

Observing the weather is more than a casual interest for Roland Hansen. He has been recording and reporting daily maximum and minimum temperatures and 24-hour precipitation totals from his Fairfield home for most of his 87 years.

Hansen's father-in-law, Henry Armstrong, started the Fairfield cooperative weather station in 1950. Hansen served as the stand-by observer from 1950 until he took over the station on November 24, 1952. Since his retirement from Tooele Army Depot, Hansen has been a part-time rancher and master gardener, but hasn't retired from weather watching.

"The weather is such an interesting subject. It's always changing," said Hansen.

His children have their own memories of their dad's weather station. "It was off limits. We couldn't touch it. But I remember bringing in the snow to melt so we could measure it," said Hansen's daughter, Marie Cook of Cedar Fort. Extreme weather interested Hansen's son, David, the most.

"In the mornings when we went out to feed the sheep in the wintertime, we'd check to see how far below zero it was, then on the way back we'd check again to see if it had warmed up at all," said son David Hansen of Fairfield. Hansen's daughter Alona Park of American Fork recalled her father's unfailing reliability in taking and reporting the weather readings. When dad said he'd do something, he did it. He believes in finishing what you start and keeping promises," said Park.

"It's been interesting. I've learned a lot over the years," said Hansen. When asked if he could predict the weather Hansen said, "I can usually look at the clouds and tell what kind of weather we're going to have providing the wind doesn't show up. If a cloud looks like a big, dark anvil, you'll most likely get rain. If the clouds look like a herd of sheep, it'll be mostly clear."

Forecasting his own weather future Hansen said, "I don't know how many more years I'll do it, but I feel like maybe I've accomplished a little bit in my life.