According to Purdue research, there were over 40 reported cases of grain bin entrapment in 2022 with six of those here in the Hoosier state.
For Putnam County farmer Paul Hodgen, this is personal. He responded to help a nearby farmer entrapped in their grain bin and Hodgen says no one knew what to do. That’s when he decided to bring it up to the farmer-led board of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, of which he is now the president.
“If we can’t go home in the evening and be safe while we’re doing our job, then what are we focusing on besides market development? It’s very important for us to be able to spend these funds on something like this that makes sure every farmer goes home at night. Because if we can’t, then what are we doing?”
The Indiana corn checkoff was recognized last week by Nationwide Insurance with its 2023 Top Sponsor Award for partnering with them on their grain bin safety program. Hodgen talks about the partnership.
“We sponsor some of the equipment, the tubes, for some firefighters and departments here in the state. But personally, for me, the key component of that is the training… hopefully no one has to ever use them. We pray they don’t have to use them, but we know statistically they’re going to be involved in something at some point in time. Having that training and how to do it, what to do, and how to respond to those situations were very key.”
Indiana Corn Marketing Council CEO Courtney Kingery tells us what has been accomplished in just the past few years with this sponsorship.
“Over 370 volunteer firefighters have been trained in how to properly get victims out of an entrapment situation so that entrapment doesn’t have to become deadly. 12 volunteer fire departments across the state have received the tubes and the tools and the equipment needed to extract people out of an entrapment situation.”
Learn more about the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and their priorities at YourCheckoff.org.
