Nationwide Selects 67 Fire Departments for Grain Rescue
The insurer's program will equip rural departments with grain rescue tubes and training to respond to bin entrapments.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Emergency Response
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Nationwide has selected 67 fire departments to receive grain rescue tubes and specialized training in 2027. Sponsors across the agricultural industry contributed more than $400,000 this year to the effort.
Why it matters
Grain bin entrapments can become life-threatening within seconds, making specialized equipment and training critical for rural first responders across the United States. The program aims to strengthen local response capacity in farming communities.
Program figures show 67 departments selected and more than 500 rescue tubes provided since 2014 across 35 states. Approximately $16,000 equips one department, and at least 19 successful rescues have been linked to program resources.
The players
Nationwide
Nationwide is a major American insurance and financial services company that sponsors this grain bin rescue program.
The details
Nationwide selects departments based on available resources and identified needs, and training includes farmers, agricultural workers and community members alongside fire personnel. Approximately 17 or 18 refresher training sessions are planned for 2027, with equipment deliveries scheduled that year.
Timeline
- 2014: Program launched.
- 2026: 67 departments selected and sponsors contributed over $400,000.
- January 1 to April 30, 2027: Nomination period for the next round.
- 2027: Equipment deliveries and refresher training sessions.
- 2028: Additional rescue tubes expected to be distributed.
Seasonal Patterns
The program, launched by Nationwide in 2014, has now supplied more than 500 rescue tubes across 35 states. The 2027 round extends this decade-long effort to 67 additional departments serving rural grain-producing regions.
Rural fire departments interested in the program should watch for the nomination window opening January 1, 2027 and closing April 30, 2027. Farmers and agricultural workers can also join the training sessions planned for 2027.
The takeaway
Grain bin entrapments can turn deadly quickly, so rural communities benefit from both equipment and training that involve farmers alongside fire crews.
What happens next
Nationwide's nomination period for the next round runs from January 1, 2027 through April 30, 2027, with equipment deliveries planned for 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on Emergency Response and how rural departments prepare for farm incidents.
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Should local communities give more support to grain bin rescue training programs?
