News : Grain bin rescue equipment now in use by Garrison Emergency Services

Miranda Husted and Jeff Henkle train with the new grain bin rescue equipment in Garrison, Monday.

Garrison Emergency Services (Fire Department and First Responders) members joined North Benton Ambulance personnel in a training exercise for the brand-new grain bin rescue equipment on Monday outside the Emergency Services building.

During an educational presentation, the responders learned that more than 160 Americans have died in grain bin accidents in the past year. The new rescue tubes, made by the KC Supply Co. of Missouri, include use six panels that create a moveable shelter placed around a person trapped in grain. In Iowa, such tubes helped save 10 Iowans from grain bin incidents this year.

The rescuers took turns helping pull each other out of the bin, each of them one-by-one allowing themselves to sink up to their waste in corn a small bin. The first person "rescued" was KWWL-TV's Michelle Corliss, who will feature the event in an upcoming broadcast. Approximately 25-30 people participated in the training exercise.

While there was scaffolding set up for convenient access to the bin, a real rescue situation would not be that easy. The responding units would have to use ladders or an aerial truck. Instructor Ron Shanahan told the Garrison group that the average rescue takes 3.3 hours after authorities receive the call.

See more photos HERE.

See a story about the Dupont-Pioneer grant that funded the device HERE.