AUGUSTA COUNTY, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – Grain bin fatalities are on the rise in the U.S., and Augusta County farmers are working to prevent similar tragedies from occurring in their community.

According to statistics published by Purdue University, there were 38 grain entrapment deaths in the U.S. in 2019, a 27% increase from 30 fatalities in 2018.

Recognizing this trend, as well as that of local farmers storing more grain on their farms, Augusta County Farm Bureau has donated life-saving rescue equipment to Augusta County Fire Rescue. The organization donated a Great Wall of Rescue device to the fire department in Staunton on April 22, 2024.

“You see news about people being trapped in grain bins, and there was no way of getting them out because local fire departments didn’t have the proper equipment,” said Bradley Dunsmore, president of Augusta County Farm Bureau. “We’re seeing more and more grain bins going up in the Shenandoah Valley, and our board of directors agreed that there was a need for this type of equipment in our area.”

The Great Wall of Rescue consists of aluminum panels that create a tube to assist with grain bin extractions, surrounding a trapped victim to relieve pressure being exerted by funneling grain. Once the tube is inserted into the grain, it acts as a retaining wall as grain is removed from inside, ultimately freeing the victim.

Augusta County Farm Bureau fully funded the purchase of the equipment, which was valued at $4,200. The organization also will help subsidize rescue personnel training.

Augusta County Fire Rescue is the third fire department in the Shenandoah Valley to receive grain bin rescue equipment. Rockingham County Fire and Rescue and Lexington Fire Department were both awarded a grain bin rescue tube through donations by the county Farm Bureaus.

Dana Fisher, chairman of the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Farm Safety Advisory Committee, said the addition of grain bin rescue equipment in Staunton is a victory for area farmers.

He noted having equipment near grain bins reduces response time, thus increasing the chance of survival among victims. Fisher also added having safety equipment in multiple localities helps create awareness for grain bin safety in Virginia, a state not known for large-scale grain production.

“Grain bins can seem like very innocuous things, but if you happen to be in the wrong spot, you’re facing a disaster,” Fisher said. “Having these extraction tubes around, and having people trained and aware of the dangers, brings light to the fact that grain bins aren’t as simple as people think.

“Having the equipment in more locations is a positive thing, and it makes a huge difference in getting to people in time to save them.”

Augusta County Farm Bureau is one of 88 county Farm Bureaus in the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation. With over 134,000 members, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group.

Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to supporting Virginia’s agriculture industry and preserving the Virginia way of life.