Man rescued from grain bin

Local firefighters successful rescued an individual that had gotten stuck in a grain bin last week.
“It was originally reported as a man stuck up to his waist in the grain bin,” Perryville assistant fire chief Bill Jones said. “They called back when rescuers were en route and it was changed, man stuck up to his chest and a grain bin, which is common. Usually you can continue sinking in the grain bin.”
The fire department was contacted about the incident at approximately 6:33 p.m. and cleared the scene at approximately 9:22 p.m.
“It was an adult victim,” Jones said. “He had been stuck in the grain bin for approximately an hour prior to them calling us.”
The individual was later identified as Mark Bachmann, 62, by the fire department.
“We dispatched immediately when we were notified,” Jones said. “The people at the farm tried to give him out for about an hour it says okay and they discovered that wasn’t working. At that point. At that point, they called the fire department and the ambulance service was on standby,” Jones said.
Firefighters use a specialized tool called the “Great Wall of Rescue” for grain bin rescue efforts, Jones noted.
“We have a specialized thing called the (Great) Wall (of Rescue), the wall and it’s a multi-piece wall that slides down into the grain around the victim and, and it hooks together. It’s open tube and it slides down around this around the victim. Of course, you cannot do that. Unless it’s in pieces, (there is) too much resistance otherwise. So you work these pieces that have a slight curve and you work them around the victim and they hooked together they slide down in each other at the ends. So now you got the victim in the grain bin in the tube. A portable power-operated auger is used to get the grain out to the point where the individual can be pulled out.
“At that point you have a you have ropes and safety vest and horn or ropes and harnesses on him. So he doesn’t slide further than you pull him out over the top,” Jone said.
Jones was not on scene April 27, but knows these types of rescue operations can be challenging for rescue response.
“Grain bin rescues are sometimes few and far between,” Jones said. “They mostly take on the title of grain bin recoveries. For us to do a rescue, rather than a recovery is awesome. Most of the time the folks have been sucked down into the grain and it’s simply a recovery operation.
“In this case, fortunately, there was there was at least somebody there with him when it happened and that person was able to lease make sure the augering system to get the grain out was shut down because that pulls everything down. If a person is stuck that pulls them down even further. They were able to do that they were able to be there to give a call (to fire rescue), and able to I guess kind of secure them.”
No matter if it’s a grain bin filled with corn or soybeans, the rescue effort can be dangerous.

“It almost all has that vacuum effect,” Jones said.
The rescue last week involved a grain billed with soybeans.
The training for rescues in grain bins is extensive and Jones said it shows firefighters how difficult pulling someone out can be.
“You can even have guys up on top pulling you out and even if you’re up to just past your knees and without clearing grain away,” Jones said. “It’s like pulling people out concrete. It is tough.”
Jones said part of the training involves getting buried a certain depth in the grain bin.
“It is a complicated rescue because our rescuers are in the same position,” Jones said. “They’re going to be on top of the grain, and the victims were always on top of the grain at some point. Our rescuers put themselves in that position now, too.”
Plastic mats are used to help prevent rescuers from falling into the grain. Jones said in training they are often told ways to obtain the weight distribution tools at no cost.
Often times, plastic crates that hold 16 ounce soda or milk bottles can be used.
“You get those they stack perfectly and and that’s what disperses our weight,” Jones said. “It’s almost like a snowshoe effect.”
“They used the soda crates and then the pre-made weight dispersal platforms and then they set the the Great Wall of Rescue in place,” Jones said.
The Great Wall rescue tool is about five-and-half-feet in length, according to Jones.
The location of 532 Windy Hill Lane is east of Missouri Highway C and north of Perry County Road 326. Is is southeast of Crosstown and northeast of Farrar, west of Omette Creek.
The East End fire departments, East Perry Rural and Frohna/Altenburg fire departments also responded to the scene.
The Cape Girardeau County Technical Rescue team was called but the Perryville rescue personnel were was able to extricate the gentleman from the grain bin prior to the arrival of the crew from Cape Girardeau, Jones stated.