By Blake Jackson
While National Farm Safety and Health Week occurs annually during the third week of September, farm families prioritize safety year-round. Accidents can still happen, and rapid response, especially during grain bin incidents, can mean the difference between life and death.
Graves County farmers and first responders recently experienced this firsthand when a neighbor became trapped in a grain bin. Josh Cherry, president of the Graves County Farm Bureau, was among the first to respond.
“He called, telling me that he needed some help, and was trapped in the grain bin, that he was okay, he just couldn't get out,” Cherry said. “The grain in the bin was higher than the main side door, so we had to climb to the top of the bin to see him.”
The farmer was waist-deep in soybeans, with his feet on the bin floor, preventing him from sinking further. Cherry explained the challenge of rescuing him:
“When we got there and tried to get him out, it seemed the more you moved around inside the grain bin, the more the grain just kind of slid down towards him,” Cherry said.
“He wasn’t necessarily packed in, and you could scoop some of the beans from him, but as soon as you moved, it slid right back, so you were kind of just spinning your wheels.”
The rescue’s success relied on a Turtle Tube grain bin rescue system brought by the Cuba Volunteer Fire Department. The Graves County Farm Bureau recently purchased eight of these life-saving devices for local first responders.
“Our county Farm Bureau ordered and gave these Turtle Tubes out to rescue squads and the volunteer fire departments around the area to help with situations like this because, lately, it seems like we've been having a lot of grain bin accidents,” Cherry said.
Cuba Fire Department Chief Mitchell Dick emphasized its critical role:
“It was extremely beneficial because without it, we would never have gotten enough grain away from him to get him pulled out,” Dick said. “I don't know what we would have actually done to get him out.”
Thanks to the quick response and the Turtle Tube, the farmer was unharmed and back at work the next day. Cherry added, “It's almost a necessity” for every farming community to have these devices.
Photo Credit: getty-images-chinaface
Categories: Kentucky, Rural Lifestyle, Farm Safety