28 Local Firefighters Participate in Farm Rescue Training Series

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Crary Hose Company, Elkland Volunteer Fire Department, and Tioga County Department of Emergency Services (TCDES) teamed up to provide three classes this spring on Farm and Agricultural Rescues. TCDES contracted the services of RescueTechs LLC, a training provider based out of Rehrersburg, PA that specializes in basic/advances vehicle rescue, agricultural rescue, and grain bin/silo rescue training. A class on Grain Bin Rescue Awareness was held at Elkland Fire Department in March, while classes on Farm Safety/Emergency Awareness and Farm Tractor and Machinery Extrication were held at Crary Hose Company in April.

When someone asks you to think of a person who is self-reliant, who comes to mind? For some it may be a pioneer family from days long ago moving west, a survivalist spending weeks, months or years off-grid, or maybe Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote the book on it. For me, the first thing I think of is the farmer growing their own food, in the field repairing a broken tractor, or slaughtering their own livestock. Farmers tend to be built with a self-reliance streak that runs deep to their core, and it makes sense: if the crop doesn’t grow, or the livestock perish, or the next generation doesn’t learn the necessary skills, the farm dies. In the end, it is on them to make it all work, and they happily bear the weight of their world. But what happens when the person who is used to doing all the fixing needs help? Who comes to their aid?

Tractor and Round Baler at our training grounds
Top Four Causes of Agricultural Injuries
  1. Tractor Overturn Accidents
  2. Falls
  3. Entanglements and Amputations
  4. Suffocation within Silos, Grain Bins, or Grain Elevators

Fire departments are uniquely-equipped to handle general emergencies on the farm as we have many of the tools and much of the base knowledge needed, but there are opportunities to focus on specific areas and increase both our effectiveness in these cases and the likelihood of positive outcomes for our patients.  This series was intended to do just that.

Grain Bin Rescue Awareness – 8 Hour Course – Elkland Fire Department

Elkland FD hosted an 8 hour Grain Bin Rescue Awareness class on March 23rd, 2024 at their station. RescueTechs instructors Austin Jelliff and Milton Olinger provided information, tactics and hands-on training for Silo and Grain Bin emergency response. The weather was cold and rainy, but regardless the 25+ firefighters in attendance from a number of Tioga County departments were eager to learn. The goal of this training is to bring awareness and hands-on experience to our local first responders. The class was broken up into four segments: Lecture, Equipment Overview and Familiarization, Farm Tour, and Grain Bin Rescue Simulation.

What are Grain Bins and Grain Bin Rescue Tubes?

Movement and storage of grain and animal feed is vital to the daily operation of pretty much any farm. These activities expose farmers to various risks that can be managed but not completely eliminated. One of the most dangerous activities on the farm is making entry into the grain bins and silos. Grain Bins and silos store harvested grain and/or animal feed on many farms. They come in many shapes and sizes and are readily identifiable on most farms. These vessels are considered confined spaces in that they are large enough for entry, have restricted entry and exit, and are not designed for occupancy. Entry into these confined spaces is a dangerous, but sometimes necessary job that can lead to entrapment or engulfment of the farmer in the material contained therein. The atmosphere inside of grain bins and silos can be inhospitable due to a number of factors including grain dust, mold, silo gasses, fumigation agents, and other gasses that can lower the percentage of oxygen in the air. These factors can lead to occupants losing consciousness, and exposes the victim, as well as responders, to an IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health) atmosphere that must be identified and accounted for. There is also a significant risk of fire and the possibility of dust explosion in these containers that may require fire department response.

75 ft Grain Bin – Squad 5-18

“Bridging” and uneven removal of material from grain bins can lead to grain avalanches that can engulf an occupant with no warning. Once entrapped even to your knees, escape from grain can become much like quicksand: the harder you work to remove yourself the deeper you go into the grain. Extrication requires specialized or improvised equipment to protect the rescuers, provide access to the victim, and allow for freeing of the patient from the grain they are trapped in. This was the focus of the training.

The most common tool used for extrication is a “Grain Bin Rescue Tube.” A Grain Bin Rescue Tube is a device made up of 4 to 8 aluminum panels that interlock. They are placed around the victim one piece at a time, each piece sliding or attaching to the previous piece until a coffer dam is built around the individual, either 360 degrees or cordoning off against the side of the grain bin. Once isolated so grain cannot flow to take the place of any removed grain, the grain surrounding the victim inside the coffer dam can be removed either with a drill-operated auger or by bailing the grain out with buckets. Once the level of grain inside the tube/dam is lowered enough, the victim will be able to self-extricate or be removed from the remaining grain and tube by rescuers.

Lecture

Participants in this class spent 3 hours in a classroom lecture discussing all aspects of grain bin and silo rescue. The lecture started with awareness topics for those who may not already be familiar with farms and the equipment used. The majors threats presented by grain storage were discussed at length. The priority of rescue operations and the phases of a rescue incident were conveyed. These include:

  1. Preparation – What we do ahead of time to prepare for rescue operations
  2. Dispatch/Response – Notification and Awareness of an Incident
  3. Scene Size-up / Incident Command System – Confirm Dispatch and perform 360 degree assessment of area
  4. Hazard Recognition and Control – Determine any hazards to responders, victims and bystanders. Control hazards and limit risks. Verify any equipment is inert. (Lockout/Tagout)
  5. Support Operations – Determine resources needed. If resources not on-scene, secure resources through dispatch, phone, etc.
  6. Access – Obtain access to the victim. KISS – Simple solutions work the best
  7. Patient Assessment and Care – Assess patient before, during and after disentanglement operations. Dedicate personnel to patient care. Identify medical complications to rescue.
  8. Disentanglement – Removal of entrapment from around the patient. Simple approaches are the best if possible. Safety of responders and patient is paramount.
  9. Extrication – Removal of packaged patient from hot zone. Transfer patient to awaiting BLS/ALS medical for transport to required care provider.
  10. Termination – Return equipment, apparatus, and personnel to service. Return scene to previous state as feasible. After-Action Report/CISM (Critical Incident Stress Management)

Equipment Overview and Familiarization

After lecture, students were taught the proper way to use the “Great Wall of Rescue” grain tube device owned by TCDES and housed at Elkland FD. Time was given for all students to familiarize themselves with the equipment. The instructors walked through the steps to size-up the situation, install the rescue tube panels, and extract the grain from inside the rescue tube. After all students worked with the equipment, the class broke for lunch.

Farm Tour

After lunch, we headed out to Wolfe Brothers Farms in Keeneyville, PA. After a brief delay due to an motor vehicle accident that our responders happened-upon while driving to the farm, we got to work. Students were provided a brief guided tour of the farm by Steve May, Chief 5-20 Marty Heyler, and the instructors. Steve was very knowledgeable of the equipment and their processes, and was a great source of information for the class. Everyone in attendance was impressed by Wolfe Bros Farms and Steve. We can’t thank them enough for lending their time, expertise, equipment and grain.

Grain Bin Rescue Simulation

After the tour, the class broke up into four groups, with each group participating in a grain bin rescue simulation. Our hosts were kind enough to let us use a trailer full of wheat for our training. For each group, one of the students was buried knee-deep in wheat. The others were tasked with rescuing the trapped student. Plastic platforms were used to provide rescuers with stable footing around the patient. The area around the patient was checked to make sure that appendages were clear of the rescue tube panels, and the rescuers began putting the panels together around the victim. Once the tube was complete and pushed down into place, wheat was evacuated from the tube via a cordless drill-driven auger. Students were quickly able to free the victim from the grain.

After each evolution, the participants performed a quick after-action review of the operation and discussed any take-aways and lessons-learned. Once all students completed the evolution, the class got back together as a whole to do a final discussion and terminate the class.

This class was a great beginning step for our firefighters towards becoming proficient responders to grain bin rescue response. There is a higher-level Grain Bin Rescue Operations/Technician class that digs deeper into the complicating factors of these types of emergencies including confined space operations, high-angle rescue, ropes and rigging, and and really hones in on the extrication aspect of these types of incidents. Plans are already underway for this class to be offered locally.

Farm Safety and Emergency Awareness – 4 Hour Course – Crary Hose Company

Elkland FD hosted a 4 hour Farm Safety and Awareness class on April 12th, 2024 at their station. RescueTechs instructor Greg Jelliff delivered a lecture-based class that was geared towards a basic awareness-level understanding of farms, their impact on our community, the types of emergencies that we are likely to respond to, and the basics of handling a farm-related incident. Did you know that Pennsylvania has 49,000 farms that operate on 7.1 million acres of land and generate $83.8 billion dollars of output? Pennsylvania is the #1 state in production of mushrooms in the nation, and still #6 in milk production? Tioga County itself has 1056 farms!

Next we covered the major causes of injury and mortality in agriculture, and discussed basic response tactics for each type of incident. Tractor roll-overs and run-overs account for close to 75% of all farm injuries, and present a whole host of complications due to their large size/weight and potential for leaking fluids that are typically flammable. The chemicals that are used on most farms can become hazardous when not contained or when mass quantities are released into the environment or onto a victim. The structures on a farm can present challenges and risks for the responder and farmers. Silos and grain bins are confined spaces that pose asphyxiation, entrapment and fall risks. Manure storage lagoons can look deceivingly solid on the surface but will not support weight, and unlike water you will sink to the bottom quickly with no ability to float or swim. Finally, augers, rotating equipment, PTO shafts, gears/chains, and knives are common on farm equipment and all can cause great bodily harm. The scale of the forces involved are much greater than we see in other areas, so the injuries have the potential to be much more devastating.

Finally, we covered how preplanning, having some specialized equipment, and knowing what additional resources you can call and rely on can make a real positive impact on life and property.

Farm Tractor and Machinery Extrication – 16 Hour Course – Crary Hose Company

To finish out this spring series of agriculture-related training, Crary Hose hosted a 16 hour, two day Farm Tractor and Machinery Extrication course at our station and at our new training grounds at the old tannery property. RescueTechs LLC provided the course. Instructors Greg Jelliff, Milton Olinger, Austin Jelliff, and Jeff Case teamed up to impart their decades of farm-related rescue knowledge on to 28 firefighters from 6 different Tioga and Potter County departments.

Lecture

The course began with a 4 hour lecture session covering the following topics:

  • Common types of farm rescue and extrication incidents
  • Characteristics and response tactics for each type of incident
  • Priorities of rescue operations and how they pertain to these types of incidents
  • Tractor Rollovers and Runovers
  • Power Take Off (PTO) shafts and the dangers they pose
  • Stabilization of mobile equipment
  • Hydraulics
  • Disentanglement strategies for farm machinery
  • Patient care during farm rescue incidents

As most of the class participants have taken classes on vehicle rescue previously, effort was made to differentiate typical passenger vehicle rescue techniques and those required for ag rescue. This is a helpful approach to understanding the difference in the scale of the typical farm rescue. With the size and nature of the equipment involved, it is paramount that our response tactics are scaled to match. A large Combine that has rolled over requires much more force to stabilize in all directions versus a passenger vehicle in the same position. Devices used in typical vehicle rescues will likely not be strong enough or weigh enough on their own to prevent movement.

A not-so-obvious threat during any incident on the farm is the potential for hazardous material involvement. Fertilizer, pesticides, fluids from tractors and equipment, cutting torch gases, propane for grain drying, and numerous other chemicals and substances are used on regular basis in agriculture. Many of these substances are toxic, flammable and/or explosive, caustic/acidic, etc. These can endanger the responders on-scene, but also the victims themselves. A hazmat associated with the incident may quickly become the primary hazard.

Farm Tour

The class was given the opportunity to tour Painterland Farms, guided by Crary Hose Asst. Chief Marty Heyler and the instructors. A family farm owned by Clinton, Brad and Johnny Painter, is a third-generation dairy farm in Westfield Township. The milk from Painterland Farms is being used to produce Painterland Sisters Yogurt by the fourth generation of the Painter family, Hayley and Stephanie Painter. The sisters are garnering much praise and exposure from media, politicians and the community.

Participants were treated to a close-up view of farm equipment, feed storage, manure storage, animal housing and milking facilities, and calf-raising facilities. Johnny Painter joined the group near the end, provided information on the farm and answered questions. Thank you to the Painterland Farms family for allowing us to tour your farm.

⁹Hands-On Scenario Training

The second day of the class was two, 4 hour hands-on training sessions at the Crary Hose station and our new training grounds at the old WesTan property. 6 pieces of farm equipment were donated for use to train on and dismantle as needed. The class was split up into 4 groups who rotated through 6 stations, each on a different piece of equipment. We had two square balers, one round baler, one manure spreader, one silage wagon and a Farmall C tractor. Each piece of equipment had one or multiple simulated entrapments. At each station, an Incident Command (IC) officer and a Safety officer were assigned, along with dedicated EMS and Rescue personnel. IC performed a 360 degree size-up, determining any hazards to responders or victims. Responders verified or made inert any machinery that was involved by chocking wheels, physically locking PTO shafts, disconnecting power sources where appropriate, blocking chains/gears, or other measures to make sure that any stored potential energy would not be able to transfer into or through the machine. EMS personnel began simulated patient care while IC worked with all responders to devise a safe plan of action for gaining access to the patent and performing disentanglement. This also included assessment of required outside resources.

Disentanglement operations that were practiced included:

  • Dismantling equipment
  • Removing guards
  • Cutting away materials (only those absolutely necessary for quick access to the patient)
  • Loosening or removing chains via loosening idler gears or removing master links
  • Lifting equipment, doors or other heavy entanglements via hydraulic rescue tools, air bags, rescue jacks and normal farm jacks, being mindful to use cribbing to make sure that lifting progress would be kept safety if any one lifting point were to fail.
  • Preserving the stability of impalements by detaching the impaling item from the equipment, leaving it in the wound to prevent mass bleeding
  • Safe removal of springs, keeping in mind the stored energy that they possess when loaded
  • Hands-on experience with working with hardened steel and how it complicates cutting procedures

Once the patient was disentangled, EMS and Rescue personnel simulated the extrication of the patient, being careful to monitor airway, breathing, circulation and spinal stabilization. Patients were to be removed on backboards. Our patients were actually scarecrows without heads, so c-spine stabilization was verbalized but not practiced. EMS personnel were to check for major bleeds and control bleeding through bandaging, pressure, tourniquet, or packing depending on the location and type of wound. A full trauma assessment would take place as the patient is moved to transport and the required level of care as dictated by the mechanism of injury (MOI.)

After the patient has been extricated and transported, incident termination begins. All equipment was brought back into service. An brief after-action report would take place with the students, discussing what was done properly and where improvements could have been made. The students would reset the scenario, usually in a more difficult configuration than they found it, so the next group could run the scenario.

The students delt with some interesting entanglements, including: triple impalement and weaving through the beaters of a silage wagon, entrapment by tractor rollover with impalement, double entrapment in round baler, both pickup side and ejector side, and we had a not-so-simulated hydraulic line failure that emphasized the importance of PPE and cribbing to maintain patient safety and progress.

Due to thunderstorms in the area, we moved to the station and rotated between two scenarios: a double entrapment in a round baler and a hand/arm entanglement in the Black Box Machinery Simulator. The simulator was a great learning tool. It housed multiple different types of entrapments, including a spring-loaded pinch-point, bar impalement/pinch, rollers. steel bar, gear and chain. The entrapments were housed in a steel box that had limited access to the entrapment. The housing has a number of access panels to simulate cutting to gain access to the patient’s entanglement.

After the storm passed and lunch was served, we reconvened back out at the training grounds and spent the remainder of the session working through numerous scenarios on the donated equipment in our original 4 groups. At the end of our class, we had a brief discussion as a group, returned our equipment and apparatus to service, and filled out course evaluations for the instructors. Even though weather did cause us to change plans for a bit, it turned out to be a very productive 8 hour day of practical training that will pay dividends when we are called into service for this type of work. Our instructors did an exemplary job of providing an informative lecture, a full slate of practical training, and some really good real-world insights into agriculture and farm rescue.

Wrapping Up

Overall, three classes with a total of 28 hours of instruction, with a total of 760 man/hours of time dedicated to becoming better firefighters and gaining vital knowledge for agriculture-related incident response. The following individuals participated either partially or fully in the farm rescue training series:

  • Crary Hose: Bill Goltz, Brent Skelton, Marty Heyler, Jeff Barber, Steve Brubaker, Lacy Miles, Todd Streeter, Matthew Reed
  • Elkland: Mark Goodrich, Brian Davenport, Doyle Swetland, Jeffrey Krause, Patrick Morley
  • Harrison Twp: Tyler Phipps
  • Knoxville-Deerfield: Mike Bloom, Seth Davies, Joshua Peet, Robert Burrell, Shane Zerby, Harley Zerby, Kody Rice
  • Middlebury Twp: Austin Cooper, Kyler Rice, Derek Smith, Cameron Butler
  • Millerton: Glenn Barnes
  • Nelson Twp: Clay Groves, Bradley Golden, John Slocum

Thank you to the following individuals and groups for helping make this training possible.

  • Elkland Fire Department: Chief Mark Goodrich and Asst. Chief Brian Davenport for hosting the class
  • Crary Hose Company: Chief William Goltz, Asst. Chief 5-10 Brent Skelton, Asst. Chief 5-20 Marty Heyler, FF Todd Streeter, FF Steve Brubaker
  • Tioga County Department of Emergency Services: Emergency Management Coordinator Doug Wicks for sponsoring the class
  • RescueTechs LLC: Instructors Greg Jelliff, Austin Jelliff, Milton Olinger and Jeff Case for your expert instruction
  • Wolfe Creek Farms: Steve May for allowing us to tour your farm and use your equipment
  • Painterland Farms: Thank you to Clinton, Brad and Johnny Painter for sharing your farm with us, and to Johnny for showing us around and answering questions!
  • The following generous folks for donating farm equipment for us to destroy
    • Dave Heck
    • Rebecca McLeod
    • Dale Howell
    • Rola Farm
  • Our Friendly Hometown Diner: Dave and Mary Earle for donating lunch on Saturday

Further Information on farm/agricultural rescue and the tools of the trade: