Nationwide equips 67 fire departments with grain entrapment tools and training

The danger inside a grain bin is not always visible – and when hidden hazards give way, entrapment can happen in seconds. Flowing grain can pull a person under, or a crusted or bridged surface can collapse without warning and bury the occupant.

These risks have resulted in more than 150 reported grain entrapments over the past five years. Local fire departments are often the first and only line of defense, but a successful rescue depends on having the right equipment and training before the emergency call comes.

Since beginning its Grain Bin Safety advocacy program and Nominate Your Fire Department Contest in 2014, Nationwide has partnered with like-minded organizations to equip fire departments across the country to respond to grain entrapments with specialized tools, coordinated training and practical rescue skills.

In 2026, Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety program delivered grain rescue tubes and hands-on training to 67 fire departments to help prepare them to respond when an entrapment occurs in their community.

The 2026 recipients are:

1. ACW Unionville Fire Department – Unionville, MI
2. Agate Fire Protection District – Agate, CO
3. American Falls Rural Fire Department – American Falls, ID
4. Ames Volunteer Fire Company – Canajoharie, NY
5. Armenia Volunteer Fire Department – Necedah, WI
6. Bellville Fire Department/Jefferson Township – Bellville, OH
7. Belvue Township Fire Department – Belvue, KS
8. Benton County DHS – Fowler, IN
9. Bowling Green Volunteer Fire Department – Bowling Green, IN
10. Copper Creek Moccasin Volunteer Fire Department – Castlewood, VA
11. Crockett County Emergency Management Agency – Alamo, TN
12. Dagsboro Volunteer Fire Company – Dagsboro, DE=
13. Derry Township Volunteer Fire Department Co. #1 – Bradenville, PA
14. Dover Fire Department – Dover, MN
15. Vergennes Fire Department – Vergennes, IL
16. Eastern Garrett County Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Frostburg, MD
17. Elizabeth Volunteer Fire Department – Elizabeth, IN
18. Fertile Fire Department – Fertile, IA
19. Flagler Rural Fire Protection District – Flagler, CO
20. Freistatt Fire Department – Freistatt, MO
21. Galena Volunteer Fire Department – Galena, MD
22. Garden City Fire Department – Garden City, KS
23. Gettysburg Volunteer Fire Department – Gettysburg, SD
24. Goldsboro Volunteer Fire Company – Goldsboro, MD
25. Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company – Greenwood, DE
26. Harrison Fire-Rescue – Harrison, WI
27. Hazard Volunteer Fire Department – Hazard, NE
28. Hebron Alden Greenwood Fire Protection District – Hebron, IL
29. Irvington Fire Protection District – Irvington, IL
30. Kent City Fire Department – Kent City, MI
31. Laverne Fire Department – Laverne, OK
32. Lewis Fire Department – Lewis, KS
33. Liberty Township Volunteer Fire Department – North Liberty, IN
34. Luray Fire Department – Luray, VA
35. Marissa Fire Department – Marissa, IL
36. Marseilles Volunteer Fire Department – LaRue, OH
37. Merritt Township Fire Department – Munger, MI
38. Mexico Community Fire Association – Mexico, IN
39. Morristown Fire Department – Morristown, MN
40. Needmore Volunteer Fire Company – Needmore, PA
41. New Madrid Fire Department – New Madrid, MO
42. North Fremont Fire District – Ashton, ID
43. Orchard Volunteer Fire & Rescue – Orchard, NE
44. Powhattan Fire Department – Powhattan, KS
45. Roachdale Volunteer Fire Department – Roachdale, IN
46. Robert Fulton Fire Company – Peach Bottom, PA
47. Rock Port Volunteer Fire Department – Rock Port, MO
48. Seneca Fire Department – Seneca, KS
49. Skelton-Owen Fire Territory – Tennyson, IN
50. Springfield Volunteer Fire Department – Springfield, CO
51. St. Charles Fire and Rescue – St. Charles, MN
52. Tipton Rural Fire Protection District – Tipton, MO
53. Uehling Volunteer Fire Department – Uehling, NE
54. Union County Rescue Squad – Jonesboro, IL
55. Valley Chemical Fire Company – Numidia, PA
56. Vernon Township Fire Department – Corunna, MI
57. Village of Newcomerstown Fire Department – Newcomerstown, OH
58. Virginia Volunteer Fire Department – Virginia, IL
59. Walnut Fire Protection District – Walnut, IL
60. Warrensburg Fire Department – Warrensburg, IL
61. Waterville Fire Department – Waterville, KS
62. Waupaca Area Fire Department – Waupaca, WI
63. Webster Fire Department – Webster, IN
64. Westfield Fire Protection District – Westfield, IL
65. Westminster Fire Department – Harrod, OH
66. Whiteford Volunteer Fire Company – Whiteford, MD
67. Wright City Fire Protection District – Wright City, MO

Nationwide partners with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) to deliver the grain rescue tubes and training, traveling to each fire department with state-of-the-art grain entrapment simulators. The comprehensive training sessions include classroom education and rescue simulations using the entrapment tools.

“Every grain rescue tube helps make a community safer and better prepared to respond when the unthinkable happens,” said Brad Liggett, president of Agribusiness at Nationwide. “Our goal is always prevention, but when a grain entrapment occurs, having trained and equipped first responders can make all the difference. We're grateful for the fire departments and partners working every day to help protect farmers and save lives.”

Nationwide’s program has now supplied grain rescue equipment and training to 519 fire departments across 35 states, providing nearly $2.5 million in resources. These resources have contributed to at least 19 lives saved since Nationwide’s program began in 2014.

To learn how to get involved or sponsor a rescue tube for your local fire department, visit the Partner With Us webpage.

The program is supported by Nationwide, NECAS and the following generous partners:

• KC Supply, Syngenta, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Maryland Grain Producers, Specialty Risk Insurance, Lutz Agency Inc, Delaware Soybean Board, Missouri Corn, Horizon Farm Credit, CHS, Farm Credit of Southern Colorado, Farm Credit Mid America, The Cornerstone Agency, Maryland Soybean Board, ProValue Insurance LLC, West Side Salvage, Gregerson Salvage, Delaware Farm Bureau, GROWMARK, Panichelle Insurance, Taylor Dodd & Wood, Hylant Agency, Oswald Crow Agency, Farm Credit Mid America, Copeland Insurance Agency, First Gabrielson, Anderson & Green, KMA Insurance, Marsh McLennan Agency, Hummel Insurance Agency, Nebraska Corn Board, Nebraska Soybean Board, Wessler Bros Agency Inc, New York Farm Bureau, Ohio Farm Bureau, Maryland Farm Bureau, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, Mexico Fire Association, TrueNorth Companies, David Larson Agency, Hometown Insurance, Phillips Stafford, SBS Insurance, Acrisure Insurance, Gallagher, Sump Saver, NOHR Wortmann Engineering, Central Valley Ag (CVA), Grain Weevil Corporation