The danger inside a grain bin is not always visible – and when hidden hazards give way, entrapment can happen in seconds. Flowing grain can pull a person under, or a crusted or bridged surface can collapse without warning and bury the occupant.

These risks have resulted in more than 150 reported grain entrapments over the past five years. Local fire departments are often the first and only line of defense, but a successful rescue depends on having the right equipment and training before the emergency call comes.

Since beginning its Grain Bin Safety advocacy program and Nominate Your Fire Department Contest in 2014, Nationwide has partnered with like-minded organizations to equip fire departments across the country to respond to grain entrapments with specialized tools, coordinated training and practical rescue skills.

In 2026, Nationwide’s Grain Bin Safety program delivered grain rescue tubes and hands-on training to 67 fire departments to help prepare them to respond when an entrapment occurs in their community.

Nationwide

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PHOTOS: Nearly two weeks after a loose cow sent law enforcement on a chase across the Lansing area, training at Michigan State University helped emergency responders prepare for situations involving all forms of livestock.

Earlier this month, a loose cow near Lansing nicknamed ‘Houdini’ forced police to close roads and prompted a nearby school to postpone dismissal as it moved through the area, breaking through fences as it wandered. Police say they ultimately had to euthanize the animal after tranquilizers failed.

Tuesday, first responders received hands-on training to put to use the next time they find themselves in a similar situation. From pigs and cows to bees, the all-day Emergency Response to Accidents Involving Livestock training at the MSU Pavilion combined classroom instruction with hands-on animal handling.

WLNS-TV CBS 6 Lansing

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Several fire crews are responding to a reported house fire at a home in the Finley area just east of Highway 397.

According to dispatch records, firefighters were dispatched to a reported residential fire on 2289 PR SE, near Piert Road, at about 2:07 p.m. on October 27. Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from an area of the property with several vehicles parked on the grass. Animals were in fenced-in areas nearby the fire trying to get away.

Several more fire crews were ordered to the scene, and dispatch records show more than a dozen crews are currently working to combat the fire. The fire is still an active scene as of 6 p.m., according to dispatch records.

No injuries have yet been reported, and it is unknown how the fire started.

Apple Valley News Now

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Starting Tuesday, Oct. 27, the Crime Check number within the city limits of Spokane will change. Inside city limits, people should call 311 for non-emergency police reports, which can include things such as suspicious activity, a crime no longer in progress or other incidents that do not require an immediate emergency response.

The city said in September that the switch is the first operational step in its work to establish its own emergency communications system, also known as a primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

The Spokane United Network 911 (SUN 911) is being designed to provide reliable service while giving Spokane greater accountability and oversight of the systems residents rely on.

“The City has extensive experience operating emergency communications through both SPD and SFD, and is confident its own emergency communications system will provide timely, effective, and coordinated emergency response,” the city said.

Residents will still utilize the 311 number to submit service requests, report issues like potholes and unauthorized camping, as well as pay utility bills.

KREM-TV CBS 2 Spokane

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Hiking the Enchantments, an 18-mile trail that twists through jagged peaks and pristine, blue lakes, gaining over 4,000 feet of elevation in the heart of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, is one of Washington’s most daring pastimes.

It was one Eastern Washington woman’s fifth time on the trail since August when her blood sugar suddenly dropped, but a group of hikers who happened to lose their way found her and safely brought her to first responders. Among them was a certified rope rescue firefighter.

“I think we were kind of strangely prepared,” said Solomon Ward, 20, of British Columbia, a second-year student at Whitworth University.

As its name suggests, hiking the Enchantments is nothing short of enchanting. Over 100,000 people make the journey each year, with many spending weeks or months preparing.

The Spokesman-Review – Metered Site

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