For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: August 13, 2026
Training Event Highlights Agricultural Safety
Livingston -Agricultural businesses, emergency responders, members of the Livingston-Clifton and Montfort fire departments, and Southwest Wisconsin Technical College came together recently at Biddick, Inc. in Livingston for a hands-on safety training event designed to help prevent accidents and prepare participants to respond when emergencies occur.
The training event brought together employees from Biddick Inc. and Hartung Brothers, along with Southwest Tech instructors and area firefighters, for training focused on grain bin safety, confined spaces, lockout/tagout procedures, harness use, fire extinguishers and emergency response.
The event grew from conversations between Theresa Sander, HR and safety administrator with Biddick, and Steve Williamson, purchasing agent and safety adviser with Hartung Brothers. The longtime friends began discussing a joint training opportunity nearly two years ago. “This joint training event isn’t only for required safety training for our employees,” said Sander. “It’s also a great opportunity to come together, to visit, share thoughts and ideas, learn from others, and improve and expand the strong partnerships we have with each other.”
Sander said the collaboration also demonstrates the important relationship between business, education, and public safety organizations throughout southwest Wisconsin.
One of the day’s highlights was a grain rescue demonstration led by Karl Sandry, Southwest Tech fire service training coordinator and lead instructor. Volunteers experienced being partially engulfed in grain while firefighters demonstrated how a rescue would be conducted using a grain rescue tube and equipment to remove corn from around the trapped individual.
Sandry said grain entrapments are fortunately uncommon, but proper training can make a significant difference when one occurs. Having local fire departments trained and equipped allows responders to begin rescue operations quickly while additional resources are on the way.
Southwest Tech provides similar grain rescue training to fire departments upon request and uses its training equipment for demonstrations at agricultural safety events and other educational programs.
Williamson said regular safety training is especially important in agriculture, where employees work around large equipment and changing seasonal conditions. Hartung Brothers conducts safety meetings throughout the year, including before planting and harvest.
The joint event provided another benefit: employees from different organizations could learn from one another. “It’s a good feeling,” Williamson said of seeing the partners come together. “It’s a big enough project that we couldn’t do it ourselves.”
Organizers hope the event serves as a model for future collaborations while strengthening safety awareness, workforce development and community partnerships throughout the region.
