Most of us have known or been acquainted with someone who has known a loved one lost in a farm accident. My guess is that behind PTO-related incidents, grain handling accidents are a primary cause of death on our farms. A few years ago, Logan county had such a tragedy.

The good news is, as our local newspaper reports, the county decided to do something about it, with government, Farm Bureau, and the fire department pooling resources to acquire and train first responders on a Grain Rescue Tube. I’ve never heard of this tool before, but it makes a whole lot of sense to me:

If a person is trapped in a grain bin or wagon, this tube is inserted around them, allowing rescuers to vaccuum grain out of the tube, and allowing the farmer to climb out. Its beauty is its simplicity. I love the concept, it makes perfect sense, and if it prevents even one tragedy, it’ll have been well worth it.

I encourage you to ask your local first responders if they have access to a Grain Rescue Tube in your community.