NICC-Trained Fire Department Successfully Rescues Individual in Missouri Grain Bin Accident

Be the reason future generations know what mattered in Decorah. Fund Decorah News today. PEOSTA, Iowa — A fire department trained by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety at Northeast Iowa Community College successfully rescued a man from a grain bin in Missouri last month. The rescue marks the 46th life saved by a NECAS-trained fire department since 2012. The operation used a grain rescue tube provided by Specialty Risk Insurance, a longtime NECAS supporter. Officials said the equipment, combined with specialized training, remains critical for rural emergency responders. The Golden City Fire Department in Missouri had completed the training three times before responding to the incident. "They had already spent an hour trying to get this guy out before they called any emergency response," Chief Eric White said. "Once the neighboring department got the response, they knew we had the wall, so they called us in." The rescue took about three hours and involved assistance from a second department and an additional rescue tube. The man was removed from the bin and treated for hypothermia. "It's great training," White said. "You get to experience the feeling of not being able to move. We had a plan we could follow, and we knew what we were doing." Dan Neenan, NECAS director, said the program has distributed 452 grain rescue tubes and provided training in 35 states. Life-saving rescues have been documented in 16 of those states. "The grain bin rescue tube and auger are used by fire departments to extricate someone trapped in grain," Neenan said. NECAS, based on the Peosta campus of Northeast Iowa Community College, focuses on preventing illness, injury and death among farmers, ranchers and agricultural workers. The program provides hands-on safety training for both agricultural workers and rural emergency responders. "Agriculture has long been one of the most dangerous occupations in the United States," Neenan said. "NECAS was founded as a hands-on training program to teach safer practices and how to respond to farm-related emergencies." In addition to rescue training, NECAS offers education on topics including confined-space grain bin entry, grain dust explosion prevention and equipment-related extrication. Neenan said the organization also promotes preparedness measures for farmers and ranchers, including keeping first aid kits and fire extinguishers readily available in farm vehicles, buildings and equipment. More information about NECAS programs and training opportunities is available at necasag.org. About NECAS The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety is part of Northeast Iowa Community College and provides training to emergency responders, agricultural workers and their families to reduce injuries and fatalities in the agricultural industry. Your weekly dose of local life! Subscribe to the free newsletter and enjoy news, analysis, and stories you'll actually look forward to reading.