Grain bins of all sizes dot the landscape in rural Warren County and the surrounding region. One of the most terrifying farm rescues for a victim and for first responders is entrapment inside one of these bins. Fatalities for the victim and the rescuer happen too often.

For many years, the Marthasville Fire Protection District (MFPD) has made several attempts to bring grain bin rescue training to its district, but securing state funding for the class was unsuccessful.

“So, we went out on a limb,” said Assistant Chief Sean Johnson. “We reached out to the community for sponsors for this training. This proved to be very successful, and donations even afforded us the opportunity to buy a grain bin rescue device and auger.”

“With all of our members living in a farming community, many of which have family members who are farmers, training such as this really hits close to home,” said Johnson.

On Saturday, April 17, and Sunday, April 18, two separate classes were held at Station 3 in Dutzow. Nearly 40 first responders from the region were in attendance, including 18 from the MFPD. Agencies attending included Augusta, Eureka, Jonesburg-High Hill, New Melle, Orchard Farm and Washington fire departments.

Training was provided by the University of Missouri Extension, with Robert Creed and Robert Shramek as instructors. A grain engulfment rescue training unit from the Fire & Rescue Training Institute was brought in by tractor trailer.

Firefighters learned to release grain during certain situations during a grain bin rescue using power saws that could cut the strong steel grain bin walls, creating flaps on the bin walls. They learned how important it is to release grain evenly and stop the release if needed. Grain will be often released when the victim is not visible. Steel partitions used in the exercise were donated by Straatmann Feed.

“The most important thing is to get the victim on top of the grain,” said instructor Creed. “Then you can figure out how to get them out.”

Robert Shramek said unfortunately many farmers do enter the grain bins for a variety of reasons. Some enter to break free moldy or stuck clumps of grain so the grain will flow again. When grain begin to flow, people can be buried or trapped, usually causing suffocation.

“It’s never a good idea to be in the bin when the grain is flowing,” said Sramek.

In two scenarios provided on the training apparatus, firefighters learned how to remove a victim. 

In one training activity, a firefighter was buried to his thighs in corn. Other firefighters put rescue pads near the victim where they could safely stand. Then cofferdams, metal panels that form a circle around the victim, were lowered into the bin. They were gently pushed deeper in the corn by rescuers, surrounding the victim, who is beginning to feel the pressure of the grain around him.

Using a “grain portr,” corn was removed from around the victim by thrusting the tool downward like a fence post driver. Grain collected in the tube and was poured out away from the victim outside the cofferdam.

The second scenario included lowering a firefighter into a grain bin simulator with ropes from a special tripod designed for this purpose. The “victim” was surrounded by corn and dust, buried to his waist. Two first responders were lowered into the bin to move corn away from the victim, with another six to eight members above operating the ropes to extricate the victim and rescuers.

“It takes about two dozen people to perform this kind of rescue,” said Shramek.

He also said it helps to have a ladder truck to reach the top of the grain bins, but rural communities may not have one. In that scenario, the grain must be lowered to attempt the rescue.

Because of the need for manpower and equipment, Johnson said if there is a grain bin rescue in the area, it is a regional response, not just departmental.

“The ability to have our neighbors training with us only strengthens the impact of this training opportunity,” said Johnson. “Because of this training, we have a good foundation to mitigate these type of emergency incidents.”

More than $11,000 was donated by local farmers and businesses.

“We are very grateful for the generous donations that made this training possible, for the commitment of our volunteers and our neighboring first responders,” added Johnson.