Ida Township firefighters train for grain rescue scenarios

Members of the Ida Fire Department gathered Saturday morning for specialized training on "grain rescues."  The training was on how to quickly pull someone from a silo if they happened to fall in.  The training was made possible through a grant that was applied for and awarded to the Ida Township Fire Department. As part of the grant, the fire department was awarded a brand-new GSI Cofferdam Rescue Tube and a drill-powered rescue auger at no cost—specialized equipment designed to safely and effectively perform rescues involving grain bin and silo engulfments. Ida Township Fire Department, as well as the Whiteford-Ottawa Lake Fire Department are the only two departments within Monroe County that have this equipment, as well as the training to perform these rescues. "We would like to extend a huge thank you to SATRA Rescue Company for providing outstanding instruction to all participants and sharing their expertise on how to safely respond to grain engulfment emergencies," the department said in a release.  Grain engulfment incidents are one of the leading causes of fatalities associated with grain bins and silos. According to Purdue University, there have been 34 reported grain engulfments and seven fatalities over the last several years.