Trapped Against The Grain: Rescue Tube Saves Loyd Brothers On May 22, 2019, three fire departments responded to an emergency at Loyd Brothers Farm in Jackson County. Farm owners Jackie and George Loyd were trapped in the unrelenting grasp of nearly 8,000 bushels of corn in a grain bin. Responders used a grain bin rescue tube to save the Loyd brothers. Photo courtesy: Franklin County, Tennessee EMA & Rescue
By Mary Wilson or nearly 45 minutes, Jackie Loyd’s Fdrowned screams for help went unheard, out by the roar of an auger’s
engine. Jackie was stuck waist-deep in the unrelenting grasp of nearly 8,000 bushels of corn in a grain bin. “We had a good price for some corn, and we decided we needed to sell some,” Jackie said, recalling the events of May 22, 2019. “I might’ve been doing something I wasn’t supposed to, but I went up into the grain bin. The corn was bridged up, and I broke the dam of the corn. Then the corn came up on me, and I couldn’t get out.” Purdue University tracks grain bin entrapments on U.S. farms. Nearly 30 entrapments are reported annually, and 65% of those cases end in death. After nearly an hour, time was ticking for the 76-year-old as he sunk deeper, up to his neck in corn. “I had a lot of time to talk to God,
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February 2019
and I think he answers prayers,” Jackie said. His brother and farm partner, 80-year-old George Loyd, was the first person to hear Jackie’s screams. George jumped into action to save his brother, only to become the second victim of the corn’s unyielding clutches. “I don’t think the corn got higher than waist-deep on me,” George said. “You don’t expect it, but you can’t move. It’s just all that pressure from the corn.” Three fire departments responded to the emergency at Loyd Brothers Farm in Jackson County, including the Scottsboro Fire Department (SFD). In January 2019, SFD employees attended the Alabama Farmers Cooperative Grain Expo where they received grain bin rescue equipment and were trained to use it. Sponsorships from numerous agricultural groups, including the Alabama Wheat & Feed Grain Producers, covered the cost of the rescue equipment.
“When you give a donation like this, you know it may possibly be used to save someone’s life,” said Carla Hornady, director of the Alabama Wheat
Grain Bin Safety Tips
u Place warning decals on bin entrances. u Turn off and lock out power controls to unloading conveyors before entering a bin. u Always use a body harness with a lifeline secured to the outside of the bin and have at least two observers during bin entry. u Establish nonverbal communication signals. u Secure grain storage areas to prevent unauthorized entry. Provided by the National Ag Safety Database and the Ohio State University Extension alfafarmers.org
