Nationwide Insurance stressing grain bin safety; offering fire departments resources
An ag insurance specialist says safety should always be top of mind for those working around grain bins.
Laramie Sandquist, senior associate vice president with Nationwide Insurance, says 2024 was another deadly year.
"Overall, in 2024, from what we've seen across the country, there were 27 entrapments." He says, "Sixteen folks did pass away as a result of those 27."
To help reduce those numbers, Sandquist tells Brownfield Nationwide is once again offering the opportunity to nominate local fire departments to receive free grain bin rescue tubes.
"It comes with a grain rescue tube, an auger to go along with it, and then also the training." He says, "How to react to these scenarios, and use the tube, and use the auger, to help people in life saving situations."
He says the program has awarded equipment to over 390 fire departments in 32 states and is credited with saving at least 13 lives since 2014.