On October 14, 2023, members along with career staff participated in a grain bin rescue training. The Laytonsville District Volunteer Fire Department was 1 of 10 Maryland Fire Departments to win and receive grain bin rescue equipment through Nationwide's Grain Bin Safety Advocacy Campaign. The Maryland Farm Bureau is a dedicated partner of Nationwide and is proud to play a pivotal role in facilitating this life-saving program.

Here is some fascinating information regarding grain entrapment/engulfment time:

- Average extrication time in America is 3.5 hours, this is from the time the fire department arrives.
- Grain entrapments are a race you can't win.
- A flowing column of grain will engulf you in seconds, to a point where you are unable to escape by yourself.
- The deeper the engulfment, the more restrictions there is on the victim's ability to breathe.

We would like to thank Brian Freese with the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) for coming out and giving our members and career staff training on this equipment and look forward to doing another one in the near future.