Specialized training prepares farmers and first responders for emergencies

JACKSON, Tenn.—One organization wants first responders to use safety first.

The Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads hosted their first Grain Bin Safety and Rescue Awareness Training.

The hands-on training was to inform farmers about grain safety as well as equip first responders with the necessary skills to to assist in emergency situations.

We spoke to Brian Robinson, the State Training Coordinator, who stated how important it is to be trained.

“It starts out as a partnership and builds a network and letting these people see different types of equipment that’s out there and being able to put hands on it and use it. It gives them a better perspective should they have to perform a grain rescue,” Robinson said.

He stated that grain emergencies are not common but can occur within moments.

“They’re not as common as say a cardiac arrest, a child birth or a car accident, but as we talked in the class, it only takes one incident,” Robinson said.

A certain skill set is needed for these type of situations.

“Being able to understand the concepts of how grain moves and how a storage bin works, is the first thing. And then how to safely work around that victim and install the tube and the goal is to try to get their airway open,” Robinson said.

First responders were seen outside practicing in four separate groups.

Some first responders that were present included the Fayette County Fire Department and many more.

“These rescues can take a lot of people, so getting these different counties together actually works plus you know these and the extension agency work together, so it helps on both sides. Helps on our first responder side and it helps on the extension side,” Robinson said.

We spoke to Lindsay Stephenson, the University of Tennessee Extension Agent, who said that she wanted to thank a few people.

“Several of the specialist and research associates that helped us by bringing their equipment, allowing us to use that and then a local farmer who brought in the grain and trucks and allowed us to use it. It made it very easy to get this together,” Stephenson said.

The Tennessee Association of Rescue plans to have this event again sometime next year.

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