On July 7th Members of the Sussex County Technical Rescue Team with Dagsboro Fire Co, NCC Technical Rescue Members, & Mountaire Grain Mill Employees attended a Grain Bin Rescue class held at Mountaire Farms in Millsboro De. Several local fire depts in Delaware have acquired Grain Rescue Bins from grants.
In this class students learned to use the Rescue Tube & auger to extract a subject that has become trapped in grain. The weight of corn is almost 45 pounds per Cubic Ft that is applied to the subject. When that is added up in a grain bin a Subject that has grain above his knees will immobilize that person. That is why the Tube and Auger is used and is very important.
In Grain Bin Rescue there is a lot more things that go into it. The training is performed in open air as this is a safe learning environment. Most grain bin accidents however happen in a grain bin which is also a Confined Space. Most incidents also never happen at a door that you can walk to the subject and then use the rescue tubes. This means that personnel and equipment need to be lowered in by ropes which take people that are trained in High Angle & Confined Space Rescue.
Just like other Technical Rescues this is a rescue that takes time and precision. These are LOW call volume but HIGH risk type of calls. We would like to say thanks to Mountaire Farms for the invite and hope to work with you again soon.
Rescue Tubes in Sussex County
Sussex County Technical Rescue Team - Frankford
Bridgeville VFC
Mountaire Grain Mills
Perdue Grain Mills