How to save someone trapped in a grain bin

[dodge man]

I see it happen around here and I see occasional stories on the local news where they train for it.

 

[gsganzer]

One of the most horrific stories I've heard is a guy getting stuck in a mud flat during low tide (I think it was Alaska). The rescuers tried to extricate him as the tide came in, to no avail. They have the mud flats posted, warning of the danger, but apparently it still happens somewhat regularly. As a rescuer, that would mess with my head for the rest of my life, holding on to a man as he drowns, with no way to help.

My granddad in Scotland was in the Merchant Marine during WW2. The Germans had torpedoed a munitions ship in the Clyde River and he sailed out to rescue the drowning men. Because of the exploding munitions, they weren't allowed to get close enough to rescue many of the men. He had to listen to men screaming and calling for their mothers as they struggled in the water. It stayed with him the rest of his life. He'd wake up yelling and thrashing from his sleep as he relived it each night.

 

[chim]

It almost seems like there's a quota system on things like this. No matter how often we read accounts of people trapped in bins you can count on it happening again. A good part of it is the "won't happen to me" mindset. Before cable TV and satellite came along, it was guaranteed that every year a local guy or two would be electrocuted installing his TV antenna.

 

[Hay Dude]

We have a local farm where 2 brothers ran the operation for decades and they were well into their 70’s when one decided to climb into the corn silo. Tragically, he died there.

 

[Sprinkler Fitter]

We have a local farm where 2 brothers ran the operation for decades and they were well into their 70’s when one decided to climb into the corn silo. Tragically, he died there.

We had one just before I got on the department where they had to get a guy out of one of them big blue harvester silos, there’s no oxygen in them, they used rope and pulley and got the unconscious guy out of there and a couple months later the guy did it again, but didn’t make it this time.

 

[Torvy]

We had one just before I got on the department where they had to get a guy out of one of them big blue harvester silos, there’s no oxygen in them, they used rope and pulley and got the unconscious guy out of there and a couple months later the guy did it again, but didn’t make it this time.

Sounds like he was trying to take himself out in a way that wouldn't void his life insurance.

It seems the people most at risk are inexperienced and over-experienced.

Somewhere there's a sweet spot with healthy respect for the risk. Inexperienced don't understand the risk and over-experienced are numb to the risk. Complacency kills a lot of people. I've got zero understanding of how a guy does it twice.

 

[ArlyA]

Sounds like he was trying to take himself out in a way that wouldn't void his life insurance.

It seems the people most at risk are inexperienced and over-experienced.

Somewhere there's a sweet spot with healthy respect for the risk. Inexperienced don't understand the risk and over-experienced are numb to the risk. Complacency kills a lot of people. I've got zero understanding of how a guy does it twice.

Ya, twice does sound strange. Dementia?

 

[Engineer42]

Works in a sand bin as well, like at your local concrete plant, or in an excavated trench.

 

[AnotherBueller]

One of the most horrific stories I've heard is a guy getting stuck in a mud flat during low tide (I think it was Alaska). The rescuers tried to extricate him as the tide came in, to no avail. They have the mud flats posted, warning of the danger, but apparently it still happens somewhat regularly. As a rescuer, that would mess with my head for the rest of my life, holding on to a man as he drowns, with no way to help.

My granddad in Scotland was in the Merchant Marine during WW2. The Germans had torpedoed a munitions ship in the Clyde River and he sailed out to rescue the drowning men. Because of the exploding munitions, they weren't allowed to get close enough to rescue many of the men. He had to listen to men screaming and calling for their mothers as they struggled in the water. It stayed with him the rest of his life. He'd wake up yelling and thrashing from his sleep as he relived it each night.

Called PTSD.

 

[fustsgt]

One of the most horrific stories I've heard is a guy getting stuck in a mud flat during low tide (I think it was Alaska). The rescuers tried to extricate him as the tide came in, to no avail. They have the mud flats posted, warning of the danger, but apparently it still happens somewhat regularly. As a rescuer, that would mess with my head for the rest of my life, holding on to a man as he drowns, with no way to help.

My granddad in Scotland was in the Merchant Marine during WW2. The Germans had torpedoed a munitions ship in the Clyde River and he sailed out to rescue the drowning men. Because of the exploding munitions, they weren't allowed to get close enough to rescue many of the men. He had to listen to men screaming and calling for their mothers as they struggled in the water. It stayed with him the rest of his life. He'd wake up yelling and thrashing from his sleep as he relived it each night.

The tide comes in on Turnagain Arm faster than a man can run, especially in mud.