LONDON, Ohio — Grain storage and handling can be fatal if the proper safety precautions are not followed. This year’s Ohio State University Farm Science Review, Sept. 22-24, will be the site of agricultural grain rescue demonstrations to emphasize the importance of following these precautions when working with grain.
Designed to educate. Ohio State University Extension will host Heritage Cooperative in featuring agricultural grain rescue demonstrations designed to educate both emergency crews and farming communities on the appropriate techniques for utilizing rescue equipment in agricultural emergencies.
Pleasant Valley Joint Fire District, Urbana Fire Department, City of London Fire Department and Central Townships Joint Fire District will conduct the rescue demonstrations.
“In the past 10 years, Ohio has experienced 19 fatalities from grain engulfments,” said Dee Jepsen, OSU Extension’s state safety leader. “The demonstrations are designed to help bridge the knowledge gap between emergency personnel and farming incidents they may encounter in addition to providing farming families with steps they can take before the emergency personnel arrive.”
Time and location
The agricultural grain rescue demonstrations will be held at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. daily at the Safety Education Tent on Friday Avenue, across from the Firebaugh Building.
Farm Science Review will take place Sept. 22-24 at the Molly Caren Agricultural Center in London, Ohio.
With more on-farm storage systems being built comes an increased risk for grain engulfments.
Two purposes
Jepsen said that the rescue demonstrations serve two purposes: to demonstrate the hazards of grain engulfment and to educate emergency personnel on the unique equipment needed during grain rescue runs.
“There is a continual need for rural medics and fire departments to understand the complexity of an agricultural incident. They are dealing with equipment and environmental conditions they normally wouldn’t see in a rescue situation,” said Jepsen.
AgrAbility program
In addition to the grain rescue demonstrations, the Safety Education Area will also highlight the new AgrAbility program in Ohio, which serves those in agriculture who have disabilities.
A display in the Small Farm Tent will emphasize the new lighting and marking standards for horse-drawn vehicles, and an all-terrain vehicle safety display will be in Alumni Park.
The ATV safety program will focus on the proper way to dress when operating an ATV, how to fit an ATV to the rider and how to properly operate an ATV.
