Grain Bin Safety Week Awards First Responders

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Five words or less(NewsUSA) – Sponsored News – Agricultural accidents remain a crucial issue for farmers in the United States. However, Nationwide, a top farm insurer, is taking action to help prevent tragedy in the event of an accident. The company supports Grain Bin Safety Week, which calls attention to the importance of specialized training for first responders to aid farmers and other agricultural workers who may become trapped in a grain bin.
In conjunction with the Grain Bin Safety Week events, Nationwide sponsored a “Nominate Your Fire Department” contest to promote awareness of agricultural safety. Now in its third year, the 2016 contest generated 641 nominations and selected 19 fire departments from 14 states to receive rescue tubes and training.
“Thanks to the generous and increasing support of our partners, who help the contest continue to grow each year,” says Nationwide Agribusiness President Brad Liggett. “While accident prevention is our No. 1 goal, we’re committed to helping equip first responders with the necessary grain rescue equipment and training.”
Each winning department receives a grain rescue tube and training in specialized extraction techniques to help rescue workers in a grain bin.
Dan Neenan, director of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS), provides the hands-on rescue training using a state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulator that holds approximately 100 bushels of grain.
Over the past three years, Nationwide has awarded rescue tubes and training programs to 32 fire departments, and they have seen the effectiveness of the program. In 2015, the Westphalia Fire Department in Westphalia, Kansas, one of the winners from the contest’s first year, used their tube and training in a successful grain bin rescue.
“A huge thank you to Nationwide and all who contributed to the contest’s success,” says Al Wessek, chief of the Dyersville Fire Department and one of the 2016 award winners. “The tube and training gives us the opportunity to bring an emergency situation back to some sense of normalcy.”
Sponsors of the 2016 Nominate Your Fire Department contest include CHS, West Side Salvage, GSI, KFSA, M.F. Block Insurance, Barry Walker Agency, ABIS, KC Supply Co Inc., Scoular Co., Arthur J. Gallagher, The Mennel Milling Company Sukup Grain Handling, Drying and Storage Equipment, Sump Saver, National Education Center for Agricultural Safety and the National Farm Medicine Center.
For more information, please visit www.grainbinsafetyweek.com.

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