Just came across this.
How to save someone trapped in a grain bin
Just came across this.
RayIN
Veteran Member
Several organizations teach this, and It has saved countless lives. Thanks for posting that link!
The average is 29 lives saved each year. Suffocation must be an agonizing way to die IMO.
The average is 29 lives saved each year. Suffocation must be an agonizing way to die IMO.
Sprinkler Fitter
Platinum Member
Long story here.
About 28-30 years ago our volunteer fire department was called to someone trapped in a grain bin.
I was the first captain on the scene, talked with the guy and he knew one foot went into the auger but a coworker had shut it off as he was yelling for help.
The guy was having trouble breathing, as he would exhale corn would flow down into him and he couldn’t expand his stomach to take a breath.
Three of us laid down some plywood scraps and crawled to him to look it over, I went back out and resumed command and we put a KED (Kendrick Extrication Device) on him and tried to lift with rope and pulleys to 5X6 across the trusses, seemed like we were going to rip him in half.
A county maintenance truck drove into the farm driveway to see if they could help, I looked back at the truck they were driving and saw that they had about a 4’ culvert about 8’ long, I asked them if they had a torch on the truck, they did, we had them cut the culvert in about half and talking to the neighboring farmer he suggested we call the John Deere dealer to see if they had a grain vac, they didn’t but they knew a farmer that did.
I called that farm and told him what we were dealing with, they said there would bring it but it would take a long time to get there with a tractor, if they brought it with a truck it would be quicker but we would need the pto on the tractor to be a certain rpm, I said no problem we will have that ready when you get here.
The John Deere dealer mechanic drove the few miles to the farm to see if he could help so I had him swap the pto shaft for the correct rpm, the vac showed up we had the shorter culvert over the guy and started the grain vac while pushing down on the culvert, we got him out, two toes were bleeding from the boot just entering the auger as it was shut off.
When we showed up on the scene I thought we were going to lose the guy though.
I’m guessing most of you know this but this is a grain vac.
About 28-30 years ago our volunteer fire department was called to someone trapped in a grain bin.
I was the first captain on the scene, talked with the guy and he knew one foot went into the auger but a coworker had shut it off as he was yelling for help.
The guy was having trouble breathing, as he would exhale corn would flow down into him and he couldn’t expand his stomach to take a breath.
Three of us laid down some plywood scraps and crawled to him to look it over, I went back out and resumed command and we put a KED (Kendrick Extrication Device) on him and tried to lift with rope and pulleys to 5X6 across the trusses, seemed like we were going to rip him in half.
A county maintenance truck drove into the farm driveway to see if they could help, I looked back at the truck they were driving and saw that they had about a 4’ culvert about 8’ long, I asked them if they had a torch on the truck, they did, we had them cut the culvert in about half and talking to the neighboring farmer he suggested we call the John Deere dealer to see if they had a grain vac, they didn’t but they knew a farmer that did.
I called that farm and told him what we were dealing with, they said there would bring it but it would take a long time to get there with a tractor, if they brought it with a truck it would be quicker but we would need the pto on the tractor to be a certain rpm, I said no problem we will have that ready when you get here.
The John Deere dealer mechanic drove the few miles to the farm to see if he could help so I had him swap the pto shaft for the correct rpm, the vac showed up we had the shorter culvert over the guy and started the grain vac while pushing down on the culvert, we got him out, two toes were bleeding from the boot just entering the auger as it was shut off.
When we showed up on the scene I thought we were going to lose the guy though.
I’m guessing most of you know this but this is a grain vac.
ArlyA
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Gee, I thought they cut a hole in the bin and drained it. With a concrete cutter that is.
Sprinkler Fitter
Platinum Member
They are not all the same.
Some are steel, some are concrete. We did get called to a domestic where the guy drove the van into about an 80’ tall concrete silo.
The one I described above was a pole barn from the outside but inside had walls from floor to ceiling and grain was brought in through the roof, not as tall as most bins but still was suffocating the guy in it.
Sprinkler Fitter
Platinum Member
That is the bad part of living in a small town and being on the fire or ambulance, you might know the people on the call you are going on.
Even for a small town, we averaged about 350 calls a year and I retired in 2003 with 21 years. Plenty of things in my head that luckily don’t bother me.
Torvy
Super Member
My cousin in Sturgis still works on the VFD. I couldn't do it either. I wouldn't mind the hard work part, but the death and dismemberment would get to me.
GrandpaSmurf825
Bronze Member
One would think that these days it wouldn't be such a common occurrence, but unfortunately it is. Last summer not to far from the farmer that I help an older (I think 81 year old farmer) became trapped in a bin. They put out a call to several departments. The local one had cut a hole in the side but still couldn't free him. When another one arrived they made the decision to cut larger holes and got him freed. He survived. I think communication is part of the issue. I was hauling grain in when this happened. I mentioned it at the local elevator and they hadn't even heard about it. What better way to keep awareness up then to have it be on their digital sign that gives grain prices.
Wagons and hopper bottom trailers can be lethal to kids too but that message doesn't get spread nearly enough.
Wagons and hopper bottom trailers can be lethal to kids too but that message doesn't get spread nearly enough.
dodge man
Super Star Member
I see it happen around here and I see occasional stories on the local news where they train for it.
gsganzer
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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.
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
Elite Member
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
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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
Platinum Member
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
Super Member
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
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Ya, twice does sound strange. Dementia?
Engineer42
Veteran Member
Works in a sand bin as well, like at your local concrete plant, or in an excavated trench.
AnotherBueller
Gold Member
Called PTSD.
fustsgt
Member
The tide comes in on Turnagain Arm faster than a man can run, especially in mud.
