Grygla Fire & Rescue provide assistance to area residents

Grygla Fire Chief Bob Thompson released a statement that in the past week, the Fire & Rescue squad responded to two calls that came in requiring their assistance. On Monday, April 6th, the crew responded to a grass fire in Section 17 of Northwood Township, owned by Gary Gilthvedt, which destroyed a shed on the property and burned less than an acre of land. The squad was also sent out to the Jared Moe residence on Thursday, April 9, in response to a farm accident. Thompson stated that Moe was injured by a cow, which resulted in a broken arm.

 

In addition, the Fire & Rescue crew held a Grain Rescue training at the CHS Northwest Grain Elevator in Grygla on Monday evening, April 6th. Volunteer firemen played the role of a victim, which involved being trapped in a semi-trailer of grain while the rescue squad used cofferdams to extract the victim from the grain. The semi-trailer was provided by Andy Oslund Farms and the grain & facilities were provided by the elevator. The crew was training with new equipment, which the department received through donations and is valued at over $10,000. The training is part of ongoing training requirements.

 

According to Thompson, the rescue process included the victim being trapped waist deep in the grain, with the Fire & Rescue crew assembling and putting the cofferdam around the victim, down into the grain. The cofferdam stops any grain from coming in. Once in place, the grain is removed from inside, around the victim, which allows them to climb out. Victims that were in the grain were unable to move at all and could not get out without the assistance of the Fire & Rescue.