NRHEG 5th grade teachers Cassidy Williams, Marcus Fischer and Olivia Erickson watch and listen intently with their students as the mock accident unfolds during Student Farm Safety Day.
By BARB FINSETH
Staff Writer
More than 350 students from five area schools, including 63 NRHEG 5th graders, took part in Farmamerica’s 23rd Farm Bureau Farm and Home Safety Day, Tuesday, Sept. 14. The annual event takes place the third week in September at Waseca’s Farmamerica site during National Farm Safety and Health Week.
Event co-coordinator, Debbie Roemhildt, was assisted by volunteers, farmers, farm families, FFA students, and many businesses in setting up six safety stations, which students in their school groups rotated through, learning specific safety concerns on the farm. These included safety instructions on animals, tractor Power Take Off (PTO), ATV/boat/snowmobiles, electrical, chemical, and lawnmower/chainsaws.
The students and teachers attending were from NRHEG, WEM, JWP, Waseca, Trinity Lutheran, and Team Academy.
Each student received an event t-shirt creating a sea of red t-shirts everywhere on the grounds as they attended safety presentations, moved to the different stations, and ate picnic lunches. The weather co-operated beautifully and the kids were able to spend most of the day outside.
The special event of the day at noon was a mock accident involving a tractor PTO attached to an auger. Dennis Paulson, from Kibble Equipment in Owatonna, explained the dangers of the PTO shaft, which can inflict serious, life-changing injuries by just catching a piece of a person's clothing. With the help of a volunteer "victim," Jay Dulas, from the Waseca County Sheriff's Dept., demonstrated how, and how quickly, this accident can happen. He then continued to tell the students what to do if they witness an accident happen, including calling 911 and staying calm, so they can explain details to the dispatcher.
With sirens blaring, the "accident" continued with the arrival of firefighters from Waseca Fire & Rescue and an EMT crew from North Waseca Ambulance. The crews worked together to stabilize the victim, place him on a board/stretcher and carry him to the ambulance. After this event, the students gathered around to view the inside of the vehicles and interact with the crews.
Agriculture consistently ranks among the top three most dangerous industries in the U.S. Farming is one of the few industries in which family members often share in the work, live on the premises, and are at risk for injury. Many farm children are working and operating some type of machinery by the time they turn 12 years old.
Each year, non-fatal injuries in farm accidents occur in about one-third of the farming population. Almost 20% of this population suffer lost work time from injuries, including around 3% sustaining permanent disabilities. Statistics also show that 60 to 70 people per 100,000 of this farming population suffer fatal injuries.
While manufacturers are continually improving the design of tractors and machinery to make them safer, it is the farm families who work with these machines who must recognize the multitude of possible unsafe conditions, and how to live with these safety concerns.
Debbie has worked to co-ordinate this event since 2004 and expresses her gratitude to, "All the volunteers and various businesses who help in so many ways to make this important event possible. We are proud to sponsor this event each year."
In her final remarks of the day, she reminds people that, "Farmers are gearing up for fall harvest right now, so please slow down on roads and give them space. We hope to prevent an accident from happening and everyone can help."