Delaware State Fire School Hosts Grain Bin Rescue Seminar

GEORGETOWN, Del.– The Delaware State Fire School partnered with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety to teach local firefighters and first responders how to safely manage, stabilize, and extract individuals trapped or engulfed in agricultural grain silos.

Training administrator for the Delaware State Fire School Jason McCabe explains what the challenges are when it comes to grain bin rescues.

“So the biggest challenge with grain is you can succumb and be engulfed in the grain very quickly,” McCabe said. “The pressure of the grain can actually squeeze your rib cage to the point where you can’t expand to bring air in.”

For Agriculture Safety and Rescue Instructor Brian Freese for him it’s all about giving first responders the knowledge they need so that they can walk away from these rescues safely.

“So my ultimate goal with my trainings with the fire departments is I’m hoping I can give them enough information to make sure they all go home that day,” Freese said.

McCabe also says that these seminars can bring useful information not only to first responders but agricultural workers as well.

“We encourage all farmers to participate and take advantage of these types of trainings,” McCabe said. “Not only to help them understand the risks, but also understand what steps they can take to prevent the conditions from ever occuring inside their grain tanks.”