Farmway Co-op, Inc. provides grain rescue equipment to area emergency response teams

On May 21, Farmway Co-op, Inc. led a tour at its Belleville West elevator to nine Republic County EMS team members. Randy Nelson, Farmway location manager, showed where to turn off power to the facility, entry points to the bins as well as how to maneuver the man-lift to the head house in case of an emergency.

"Farmway puts safety first within our cooperative and we strive in taking an active role with safety in our agricultural community," said Art Duerksen, CEO of Farmway.

Farmway has purchased 17 grain engulfment rescue tools called the "Great Wall of Rescue" for each elevator and donated a set to the Republic County EMS team and the Concordia Fire Department.

A "Great Wall of Rescue" panel set is a rescue tool made of aluminum sections that slide into the grain around the engulfed person, then latch together forming a rescue wall. The grain can then be removed around the victim, eventually allowing the person to be pulled to safety.

"We donated a rescue set to the Republic County EMS team, but we also have rescue sets at each elevator so if they're in a bind, Farmway can supply them with the tools they need right away," said Nelson.

The Farmway Board of Directors and the employee team goal is to have rescue tools available for emergency response teams to use in the event of an emergency - on the farm or at the cooperative.

"We hope they will never be used, except for training purposes," said David Edwards, Farmway safety director.