ST. LANDRY PARISH, La. ( KLFY ) — Two local fire departments now have a tool to help prevent tragedy in grain silos.

The Eunice Fire Department and the Port Barre Fire Dist. No. 2 have received grain bin safety recovery kits donated by the St. Landry Farm Bureau.

The equipment, labeled “The Great Wall of Rescue,” allows first responders to burrow into grain silos and other collection areas to extract a person who may have fallen in .

“We hope this equipment sits and collects dust, but if tragedy strikes, we have the equipment available locally,” Farm Bureau board president Joey Boudreaux said.

On Feb. 12, the body of 57-year-old David Fontenot of Vidrine was recovered from a grain silo after he fell in it. Fontenot fell into a grain silo while working in the Bayou Rouge area.

Since then, the Farm Bureau has hosted workshops for first responders to help train them in the proper way to rescue someone stuck in a grain bin.

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