As part of Friday’s grain bin rescue near Otley, fire crews used life saving equipment donated by a local business.

Tracy Gathman with Two Rivers Cooperative says the Monroe, Pella, and Clay Township fire departments received specialized rescue tubes five years ago aimed to help make rescues during dangerous operations.

“They are designed to encircle someone who is trapped in grain and to prevent any additional grain from going on top of that individual,” he says, “but you’re also able to remove some of the grain from inside those tubes and relieve the pressure that’s put on that person’s body by the grain that’s surrounded them because the pressures are immense when you get to that point.”

Gathman says while the board at Two Rivers was proud to donate the gear to the local fire departments, they hoped the gear was never used in a real scenario. But he’s thankful Monroe and Pella had the gear to help in a rescue operation.

“Thank goodness that the tubes were available, and that it was a rescue, not a recovery,” he says.

Pella Rural and Monroe fire departments rescued a man trapped in a grain bin Friday evening less than a mile west of the Otley city limits.