Deputies Attend Grain Bin Rescue Training

(From the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office)

Another opportunity to work with our public safety partners and watch and learn on some life saving measures should we ever have a grain bin emergency. It is important for our deputies to get this type of training as they will most likely be one of the first responders on scene and understanding the dangers of grain bins. thank you very much to Green Springs FD and for Commissioner Frankart and his wife for hosting this important training at their farm!

-Sheriff Stevens

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Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputies attend Grain Bin Rescue Training

By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations/Community Engagement Coordinator

Green Springs Fire Department Lieutenant Jack King said there isn’t enough time for First Responders to train for every emergency they will face. That makes every training opportunity priceless.

The importance of training is why four Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputies took the time to attend the Grain Bin Rescue Training provided by the Ohio Fire Academy on March 22. The training was hosted by the Green Springs Fire Department at Ridgeview Farms, a rural Clyde farm owned by Seneca County Commissioner Bill and Janet Frankart.

The training was organized by King and Green Springs Fire Department Chief Greg Lowe.

Over 50 First Responders from ten departments in Seneca and Sandusky counties attended the training, where they received hands-on experience on the Ohio Fire Academy’s Grain C.A.R.T. (Comprehensive Agricultural Rescue Trailer). The Grain C.A.R.T. provided a simulated rescue operation, allowing First Responders to practice rescuing a mock victim engulfed in real corn.

They practiced every step of the rescue, including utilizing grain tubes that are built around a victim to remove the grain pressing around them, as well as the auger that quickly removes the grain from the tube.

“It was interesting to learn how they actually get the grain out,” said Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Messer.

Messer, Sergeant Kevin Reinbolt, Deputy Luke Cantu, and Deputy Chris Potter attended the training to prepare them for possible grain bin emergencies in the county because it is likely a deputy will be the first person on scene.

“It was nice to know the procedure so we know what to do if they need assistance during a rescue,” Sergeant Reinbolt said.

The Sheriff’s Office often works collaboratively with First Responders across the county.

“We work alongside them all the time,” Deputy Cantu said.

That collaboration can save lives during a grain bin rescue. There are many reasons a farmer will enter a grain bin. They may need to check the condition or level of the grain, repair bin machinery, or control infestations, among other reasons. When a farmer is trapped, the rescue requires trained First Responders and specialized equipment.

The grain tubes can be used for other situations as well, including emergencies at quarries and during major waterline installation projects, like a current project that, when finished, will connect water from the Sandusky River in Old Fort to Beaver Creek Reservoir.

“We don’t have enough time to train for everything,” King said. “Every call is different. Nothing is the same, so you have to be prepared.”