Enter your fire department to win grain bin rescue equipment

When farmers become trapped in grain bins and other storage facilities, the ending is usually not a happy one. According to Purdue University researchers, 29 grain entrapments were reported in 2021, resulting in 11 fatalities.

With the proper equipment and training, however, fire departments and other first responders can increase the odds of a successful rescue. Each year, the third full week of February is designated as Grain Bin Safety Week to help raise awareness of the problem and encourage safe grain-handling practices.

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This marks the tenth year Nationwide is marking Grain Bin Safety Week by holding the Nominate Your Fire Department Contest, which awards grain rescue tubes and specialized hands-on training to first responders serving rural America. Since the contest's inception, 272 tubes and training have been awarded to fire departments in 31 states, and at least five people have been saved thanks to the program.

Selected fire departments receive on-site training provided in conjunction with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS). Instructors bring grain entrapment simulators to training sites and provide classroom education and hands-on rescue simulations.

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"Rural fire departments are often the only line of defense when an entrapment takes place in their region and time is of the essence when responding to these accidents," says NECAS Director Dan Neenan. "It's critically important to ensure these first responders not only have the specialized rescue equipment, but also the training needed to respond effectively."

Nominations are being accepted and through April 30. They must include a description of how the fire department or emergency response team and the rural community would benefit from the tube and training, and how they would share the resources with nearby fire departments. To learn more or to nominate your local fire department, visit grainbinsafetyweek.com.