The Paducah (KY) Fire Department has added a critical tool to its emergency response arsenal thanks to a donation from the Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company.
The department received a grain rescue tube and specialized auger as part of the insurance company’s Grain Bin Safety Program, an initiative aimed at supporting rural emergency responders across the state. The equipment is designed to help first responders safely extract individuals trapped in grain bins—a situation that can turn deadly within seconds.
“We are thankful for the Kentucky Farm Bureau and their support of fire departments across the state,” Paducah Fire Chief Joe Towner said in a statement. “This equipment improves our ability to respond to a grain entrapment emergency, both in Paducah and surrounding areas.”
Nationwide, grain entrapments remain a persistent threat on farms. Once a person becomes submerged, it can take just seconds for them to become completely engulfed, making swift, trained intervention critical.
The Grain Bin Safety Program, now in its fifth year, has provided rescue tubes and augers to more than 100 fire departments throughout Kentucky. Kentucky Farm Bureau also partners with fire departments to provide hands-on training for using the equipment safely and effectively.
Kentucky Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company was founded in 1943 and is the state’s largest property and casualty insurer. It launched the grain safety initiative in 2019 as part of a broader effort to reduce on-farm injuries and fatalities.
“The hope is that this equipment never has to be used,” Towner said. “But if the call comes, we’ll be ready.”
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This article is based on original reporting by WPSD Local 6. Read the full article here.