18 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com Better Farming | November/December 2024 more guidance on training and grain handling safety, including Introduction to Grain Handling and Storage Hazards. Handling emergencies Even with the many safety resources available, incidents can still happen. Every farm needs a plan for these emergencies, which should be shared widely. Anderson says that no one else should put themselves in danger when responding to an emergency. “It's important that the number of victims doesn't increase.” “Don't put yourself in danger. Call emergency services. Everyone on the farm should know who to call and how to direct them to the emergency. This includes knowing how to direct services to the farmyard, fields, and other farm sites where an emergency might occur.” Each farm is different and will have its own response plan for these situations. The first step should always be to call emergency services, and if someone is trapped in grain, stop the flow of grain by turning off any augers or grain vacs. Ulmer says that aeration fans can also be turned on to increase oxygen to a person trapped in grain. Attempts to rescue someone trapped in grain should be left to emergency responders. “There’s been an increase in initiative taken by local fire departments to get training in grain entrapment rescue,” says Ulmer. “We want to continue that effort.” An example of this effort is CASA’s BeGrainSafe program. “CASA has a training program specifically for firefighters, for them to understand grain entrapment rescue. CASA, through the BeGrainSafe program, has been working across Canada to get this information to as many firefighters as possible,” says Anderson. “In 2023, the BeGrainSafe trailer travelled 7,055 km, which is farther than the distance from Victoria, B.C. to St. John’s, Nfld. Over 500 firefighters were trained on specific safety and rescue procedures to increase their chances of a successful grain entrapment rescue while keeping members of their department safe. “Training took place in 21 different locations from Quebec to Alberta this year.” While more local emergency responders learn how to manage grainrelated emergencies, it’s essential to reduce their occurrence by prioritizing safety. Ulmer: “The safest approach is to not enter the grain storage when loading or unloading grain.” BF Grain Handling Safety EMILY MCKINLAY Emily lives on a beef farm, raising Red Angus and Simmental cattle. She holds a Master of Science in Animal Biosciences, with a focus on ruminant nutrition.
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