Programs simulate grain-bin entrapments, and how to rescue a victim

Nathan Brown (right) was trapped in a grain bin, waiting to be rescued. Typically, someone pulled into a grain bin has slim chances of survival, but in this instance, Brown was perfectly safe. That's because Brown, the vice president of the Highland County Farm Bureau in southern Ohio, was participating in a simulation as part of the local farm bureau's nationally recognized rescue program, reports Rural Community Building, a service of the American Farm Bureau Federation. "The objective was to provide the fire departments of Highland County with the proper equipment and training needed for grain bin type rescues."

Grain bin deaths continue to rise, and researchers have tried to come up with ways to make the job safer, including using technology. In Highland County they "raised over $44,000 from local business and farmers to support the purchase and outfitting of two emergency response trailers," Rural Community Building reports. In May, 36 emergency personnel were trained in the trailers, which "are completely equipped with the needed equipment for a grain bin type rescue. This equipment includes the rescue tube, safety equipment, ropes, grain removal equipment and hand tools in a single trailer that is ready to respond to a grain bin accident when needed." (Read more) (University of Arkansas graphic)

Illinois has a similar program, called Stateline Farm Rescue, which uses a simulator that has "a large round container filled with corn seed on top. Below it was a floor with small holes to allow the corn to pass through. Below that was the auger. Once turned on, it would move the corn out of the container through the floor," Zach Berg reports for the Journal Star.

To practice getting a victim out of the bin, "trainees were shown how to construct a metal tube around the victim," Berg writes. "The trainees would get into the container with the victim, using simply trays to stand on so as not to sink. The slightly curved pieces of metal that construct the tube are latched on so they can’t be pulled apart, but can still move independently of each other. The trainees pushed down on the pieces until they were down near the victims feet. Once set, it cuts off more corn from coming toward the victim and the digging begins." (Read more)

Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety in Peosta, Iowa, conducts rescue training all over the Midwest. Dave Newcomb, agriculture-rescue program manager for the Fire Service Institute, has been teaching a class for three years. Ohio State University also has a program. Are there similar programs in your area? (Video: Training by the Ohio Fire Academy)