Nationwide launches 12th annual Grain Bin Safety Week

Initiative aims to reduce grain entrapment incidents through fire department nominations and specialized rescue equipment distribution.

Feed & Grain Staff

February 6, 2025

Nationwide has kicked off its 12th annual Nominate Your Fire Department Contest as part of Grain Bin Safety Week, scheduled for February 16-22, 2025. The campaign addresses the critical issue of grain bin entrapments, which remain a significant hazard in agricultural settings across rural America.

Key facts highlight the urgency of this initiative:

27 grain entrapments were reported in 2023, resulting in 16 fatalities.
Over 300 grain entrapments have occurred in the past decade, with an estimated 30% of cases going unreported.
An adult can become engulfed in flowing grain in just 20 seconds.

Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide, emphasized the program's impact: "We're grateful to see our program is making a real impact with six successful rescues last year and a total of 13 lives saved since 2014."

The Nominate Your Fire Department Contest, open until April 30, 2025, aims to equip rural fire departments with specialized rescue training and equipment. Since 2014, Nationwide and its partners have awarded 390 grain rescue tubes to first responders across 32 states, totaling nearly $2 million in resources.

Nationwide collaborates with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) to deliver equipment and training. Dan Neenan, director at NECAS, stressed the importance of this initiative: "It's critically important to ensure these first responders not only have the specialized rescue equipment, but also the training needed to respond effectively."

The Grain Bin Safety Week campaign is supported by a diverse group of partners, including agricultural organizations, insurance agencies, and equipment manufacturers.