(Minden) Minden Fire and Rescue is one of more than 272 rural fire departments to receive a grain rescue tube and training through Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety campaign. HTS Ag nominated the local responders with the Minden Fire and Rescue to receive this award. On September 16th, the Minden Fire Department received the grain tube and training.
Frank Olmstead, Marketing Director for HTS Ag, says Opi-Grain Management alerted his company about this specialized training from the National Educations Center for Agricultural Safety through Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety advocacy campaign.
Thousands of farmers and commercial grain handlers risk their lives by entering grain bins to remove clumped or rotted grain yearly. As rural communities have come to know all too well, the risks of entering grain bins continue to be overlooked.
According to Nationwide’s press release, its Grain Bin Safety Campaign began in 2014 to bring awareness to the hazards of entering grain structures and equip fire departments with the resources needed to respond effectively. At least seven fire departments have put the tubes and training to use to save the lives of workers trapped in grain bins.
The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety conducted the grain rescue tube delivery and training. They included simulations of entrapments and rescues using a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator, which is loaded on a trailer and able to hold about 100 bushels of grain.
(Photo: courtesy of HTS AG)
