Local Fire Departments Conduct Grain Bin Rescue Training

Johnson Township hosts grain bin rescue training. – Photo courtesy of FFD.

New recruits to the fire departments across Clinton County joined together Wednesday to conduct grain bin rescue training.

Johnson Township hosted a fire one and fire two class with a focus on skill-based learning with a grain bin rescue simulation. During the simulation, a participant was placed into a filled “grain bin,” and rescuers were tasked with utilizing tools and knowledge to free the participant.

“In our community, these types of scenerios happen more often than many may think,” posted the Frankfort Fire Department. “Being able to provide controlled training experiences for new and seasoned firefighters is invaluable to our departments.”

The grain bin training comes off the back of numerous departments in Clinton County receiving grain bin rescue tubes, such as Forest Volunteer Fire Department, which received a donation of a grain bin rescue tube from Kokomo Grain in honor of past Auxiliary President Wendy Terrell in January 2023.

Grain bin rescue tubes have been utilized to save farmers in incidents where they may become trapped in a grain bin and engulfed by the contents rapidly and unexpectedly. Based upon research from Purdue University, researchers stated that farmers risk their lives every year by stepping into grain bins to remove clumped or rotted grain, and one misstepp could cause the farmers to become engulfed in flowing grain or be overcome by the oxygen-deficient atmosphere present in filled grain bins.

Firefighters participate in grain bin rescue training. – Photo courtesy of FFD.

The tubes allow for responders to lower the device into the grain to surround the farmer, allowing the farmer and opportunity to grab the handles on the device and remove themselves from the grain as it is separated. Training for grain bin rescues have been gradually increasing in Clinton County over the past few years as technology has continued to develop to aid in the rescue efforts.

The Forest Volunteer Fire Department’s receipt of the grain bin tube in January came from an effort from Kokomo Grain, which has been donating grain bin rescue tubes and hosting training sessions with the Grissom Fire Department, Russiaville Volunteer Fire Department, Galveston Fire Department and the Kokomo Fire Department since 2021. The dedicated tube for Wendy Terrell was a tribute to Terrell’s efforts to improve the services available to the community, such as being a driving factor in cementing the construction of the Michigantown baseball diamonds as well as serving as President of the Forest Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. Terrell passed away on

Forest Volunteer Fire Department accepts donation of grain bin rescue tube in honor of Wendy Terrell in January. – Photo courtesy of FVFD

Aug. 26, 2021, at the age of 46 after battling an illness. Terrell worked as a grain merchandiser at Tate and Lyle from 2004 to 2013, a grain originator at Co-Alliance from 2013 to 2020 and a grain merchandiser and facility manager at Kokomo Grain in Burlignton from 2020 to 2021. The tribute to Terrell has provided the Forest Volunteer Fire Department with an opportunity to save the lives of the farmers that Terrell knew and loved.

“We were told that (in) the short time that Wendy worked for Kokomo Grain that she made a great impact and was very well liked,” Forest Volunteer Fire Department posted in January. “Thank you, Wendy, and thank you, Kokomo Grain.”

The influence of grain bin rescue training and grain bin rescue tubes was seen close to home in March when Camden Fire was notified that a man was trapped in a grain bin up to his waist in Carroll County. Camden Fire was able to free the farmer with the felp of Rockfield, Delphi, Burrows Fire and the Carroll County FFA, which provided the donation of the rescue equipment used to free the man.

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