CHS and Poet support grain bin rescue efforts

Michael Van Otterloo, CHS; Harold Timmerman, Lincoln County Emergency Manager; and Tom Pierson, POET; partnered to provide grain bin rescue equipment to fire departments throughout the county.

CHS and POET Bioprocessing Chancellor recently came together in support of first responders in Lincoln County. Both CHS and POET provided donations to purchase replacement grain rescue tubes for the Lennox Fire Department for use when performing grain bin rescues. 

The donation supports a program started in 2012 when Lincoln County Emergency Management saw a need to equip and train first responders on grain bin rescue.  Each Lincoln County fire department was given a grain rescue tube which consists of a set of five panels that are assembled to create a coffer dam around an individual entrapped in grain inside of a bin.  The grain can then be removed from inside the tube, freeing the person who is trapped. Through grain bin rescue training and actual incident response, the tube panels at Lennox Fire Department have sustained wear and tear and were in need of replacement. 

In addition to purchasing replacement grain rescue tubes, the donations from CHS and POET supported the Lincoln County Emergency Management team in purchasing additional grain bin rescue equipment for each fire department in Lincoln County. The equipment includes harnesses, ropes, helmets, and other protective equipment needed to perform grain bin rescues 

Lincoln County Emergency Management thanks POET and CHS for supporting first responders in Lincoln County.