Subscribe by RSS
Local fire departments receive life saving equipment
COUNTRY Financial in cooperation with the Ogle County Farm Bureau recently donated grain bin rescue augers to the Byron, Rochelle and Rural Dixon Fire Protection Districts. Pictured (l-r back row) Josh Williams COUNTRY Financial Rochelle, Phil Hasz COUNTRY Financial Agency Manager, Chief Phil DeMik Byron Fire District, Chief Rob Hough Mt. Morris Fire Department; Nathan Dahlstrom Rural Dixon Fire Department. (l-r front row) Josh Messenger COUNTRY Financial Rochelle, Kerry Wickler COUNTRY Financial Byron, Bill Dean and Larry Farley COUNTRY Financial Dixon, Ryan Reeverts and Josh Bolen Ogle County Farm Bureau Young Leaders committee.
The Ogle County Farm Bureau Young Leaders through financial support from COUNTRY Financial recently donated grain bin rescue augers to three area fire departments serving Ogle and Lee Counties.
Augers were purchased by COUNTRY Financial and distributed to the Byron, Rochelle and Rural Dixon Fire Departments.
The augers are used in conjunction with grain bin rescue tubes in extracting individuals trapped in collapsed grain inside of grain bins. The rescue augers allow first responders to extricate grain more rapidly saving vital minutes in life saving situations.
COUNTRY Financial Agency Phil Hasz noted, “This effort is one that COUNTRY Financial has dedicated itself to over decades providing necessary equipment to local communities to assist them in emergency response situations.
“As someone who lost a family member in a grain bin accident, I’m glad to see that this donation may save other families from that tragedy. We’re proud to be a part of this effort to support and serve the communities that we serve.”
The three fire districts were chosen as they were the only ones serving Ogle County that did not currently have a rescue auger on-site.
Ryan Reeverts, Ogle County Farm Bureau Young Leaders Chairman said, “This was an activity our entire committee was committed to, to assist our first responders in saving lives on the farm.
“Each year we tragically lose farmers to grain bin entrapment accidents and hopefully by having this equipment available our local fire districts can prevent fatalities from occurring.”
COUNTRY Financial is a group of US insurance and financial services companies with customers in 19 states. The group of companies offers a range of insurance and financial products and services, including auto, home, life, farm, commercial insurance, retirement planning, investment management and trust services, with offices in communities across Illinois.
The COUNTRY Financial group is ranked annually in the Fortune 1000 list.
The Ogle County Farm Bureau Young Leaders are a Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18-34 with an invested interest in agriculture and community service.
