Firemen learn to deal with grain entrapment

By Paul Kessinger
Marysville Advocate – September 12, 2013
Submitted by Newz Group Clipping Service – September 20, 2013

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The Marysville Fire Department spent most of Saturday learning how to handle a crisis at a grain elevator or silo during a grain engulfment rescue course in Marysville.

The University of Kansas’ Kansas Fire and Rescue Training Institute presented the course to the firefighters. It was developed after six workers died in a grain elevator explosion at Atchison in 2011.

“It was training we never took before, and like most training we hope we never use it,” said Dennis Rockwell, Marysville Fire Department Assistant Chief. “It could save somebody’s life if they are trapped in a grain bin.”

The firemen spent much of the morning in a classroom setting learning about grain engulfment and grain entrapment rescue.

“Grain entrapment is when you get to the point that you can’t move your legs because you are submerged in grain above your knees. Grain engulfment is when you have become submerged in grain over your head,” said Kansas Fire and Rescue training coordinator Mike Cook. “It is a crisis where the victim only has approximately an 8 percent chance of survival.”

Cook said there are three ways to prevent grain engulfment situations.

“Number one, no one should ever go inside a grain bin while the grain is moving. They should never go inside without a harness or a lifeline, and they should never enter a grain bin without an attendant present,” he said.

In the afternoon, the Kansas Fire and Rescue team gave Marysville firefighters hands-on grain engulfment and entrapment rescue experience.

Members of the fire department were placed in a grain bin provided by the training institute and were submerged to their waist in grain while other firemen were trained to rescue them.

The grain engulfment rescue course is one of several courses that Kansas Fire and Rescue offers. Other courses include search and rescue training, propane emergencies training and firefighter skills training.

“We’ve got another training trailer coming on October 19, the brand-new skills training trailer,” said Rockwell.

He said other area fire departments are welcome to come to the training session and could contact him to make arrangements.