KC Supply Co. Inc. • 800-527-8775 • http://www.kcsupply.com
KC Supply Co.’s grain rescue tube is designed to rescue victims from grain entrampments quicker and more safely than with traditional means.
According to President Scott Moseley (800-527-8775), “Our grain rescue tube features steps and locking panels to reduce response time by eliminating the need for extra tools for insertion.
“The modular aluminum panels are stronger and more durable compared to other entrapment rescue products,” says Moseley.
“The 5-foot-high, 16-inch-wide panels weigh 25 pounds each and come in a smooth, milled finish to slide easily through most grains,” he explains.
Here is what some users say about KC Supply’s grain rescue tube:
“At Cargill, safety is our top priority. Through the help of our Cargill Cares Council, we were able to connect with KC Supply to procure several grain rescue tubes and distribute them to many rural fire departments that meet our criteria and were in need of them, therefore ensuring the safety of our farming friends. We donate these tubes to ensure the safety of our farming colleagues, even though we hope they never are used.
“As members of the community, our hope is that everyone is able to go home safely to their families every night. KC Supply has been a great resource for us when looking to purchase this safety equipment, and their customer service is outstanding.”
“Our interest in KC Supply’s grain rescue tubes began about year ago when there was an emergency in a grain bin. It took hours to get the victim out of the bin. It got me rethinking the best way to perform these types of rescues.
“After doing some research, I found that fire departments without much knowledge of grain rescues often cut a hole in the wall of the grain bin, which could cause bin failure. Not only is that a large expense, but also you are taking the chance of someone else getting hurt.
“I discovered KC Supply’s grain rescue tube, which is a safer, quicker, and more efficient means of grain rescue. In two training sessions simulating standard grain engulfments, we timed it at 45 to 90 minutes from set up to rescue, compared to other rescue methods that can take four to six hours. And the longer the victim is in the bin, the more likely it is for their body to shut down.
“I had looked at several different manufacturers before purchasing – there are actually about three different styles of grain tubes. We chose KC Supply because their tube is interchangeable. Some of the other models were limited to a few panels that snap together and nothing more.
“With KC Supply, we were able to order six panels that can be reversed to make a straight wall, versus an octagon or round tube. It’s just really easy to adapt to using the panels in different configurations, and we can get them in the grain bin much easier.
“Since we purchased ours last fall, we had a neighboring fire department purchase one, too, so we can integrate them together if need be. We started training with it, and that has evolved into an actual demo rescue. We plan to do this every six months."
“Last summer, around the last week of May, my father-in-law got trapped in a grain bin on our family farm. My brother-in-law and father-in-law were trying to empty the grain bin and haul corn that day. My father-in-law was in the bin trying to help the corn get out because something had happened, but we didn’t know the problem. We now believe the grain was frozen from the center out because it was an incredibly cold winter. And then the sweep augers at the bottom of the bin and some grain broke free, because it was kind of like a cone from the middle out – it was peaked in the center. The grain broke loose then avalanched around him.
“My brother-in-law was with him and had everything shut down once he realized what had happened. They called 911.
“KC Supply’s grain rescue tube was used by our fire department to pull him out of the bin. So, that’s our personal experience with it. It’s an incredible tool that I saw work in person. I believe the entire rescue took about between three and four hours from start to finish.
“I absolutely recommend this product, because it saved my father-in-law’s life. We are very thankful for that type of an invention. I think every fire department in any rural community should have this grain rescue tube.”
Reprinted from Grain Journal July/August 2019 Issue
