Corn silo rescue tube8/13/2023 “I thought it would be a good idea, with me and my two brothers farming, that if we ever did get caught we would know what to do in this type of situation. “I farm on my own and also work for White River Co-Op,” Gettelfinger said. Nathaniel Gettelfinger, a Salem resident and farmer, participated in an afternoon training session and simulation as a person stuck in a grain bin. He estimated it’s been “10 or 15 years” since the last grain bin safety training session took place in Lawrence County. “There have been a couple of rescues in Jackson County and Orange County, but as far as Lawrence County, I don’t know any that have taken place,” Martin said. The tube, purchased by the Lawrence County Farm Bureau, is at Indian Creek’s fire station. Martin, a firefighter with the Indian Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Bedford and chairman of the Lawrence County Firefighters Association. Lawrence County does have a rescue tube for grain bin incidents, but it hasn’t yet been used in the county, according to L.D. About 500 firefighters have been trained by Co-Alliance, at which Williams works in the safety department. Using a test subject, he shared ways to possibly get out, including the use of a rescue tube. Of those 29, 18 resulted in deaths.ĭuring the training, Williams used a grain bin training simulator. Ultimately, she said, digging frantically with a snow shovel led to her escape.Īccording to a 2016 Purdue University survey, 29 entrapment cases were reported in 2016. Smith said she yelled for her husband to shut off the auger, which controls the grain flow. Now, you might think, why couldn’t they just pull me out. Within seconds I was up to my waist in corn and completely stuck. Almost immediately I was sunk up to my calves and couldn’t move my feet at all. “I was shoveling near the center the center just collapsed.” The lightweight wall sections are easily maneuvered by rescuers and can be aligned to form a wall, a tube, or other irregular shapes depending on the rescue. Sinking into Grain Once I was standing on the corn in the bin, they turned the auger below on. “So I had to get in the wall and walk it down,” Smith said. Smith said the bin wasn’t completely full, but that there was 6 or 7 feet of corn inside. Smith entered her corn bin because corn was sticking to a wall. And that’s probably the biggest thing, just not being aware.” “They may not really know how powerful that flowing grain is. “A lot of times people will go into a bin by themselves and the theory is ‘It’s not going to happen to me,’” Williams said. ![]() Michael Williams, who led grain bin safety demonstrations, said entering a grain bin by oneself, especially when the grain is flowing, can be dangerous, even fatal. “I’ll do about anything, but it scared me to death.”įarmers and first responders participated in grain bin safety training sessions Wednesday at the Lawrence County Expo Hall. “It scares the hell out of you,” Smith said. BEDFORD - When Bedford resident Nikki Smith found herself stuck in a grain bin, fear kicked in.
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