Farm Bureau Safety Day educates youth

About 280 local fifth-graders took part in safety-related conversations and activities during the Farm Bureau Farm and Home Safety Camp the morning of Tuesday, Sept. 15, according to organizer Debbie Roemhildt.

 

Students from the Janesville public school system, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva,

 

Team Academy in Waseca, Trinity Lutheran School in Janesville, and Waseca Intermediate School took part.

 

Learners were shown what a power take-off (PTO) is and county sheriff Jay Dulas explained the dangers of any spinning tool. Then a staged accident took place, during which a straw-filled mannequin came in contact with a spinning PTO bar. Volunteers from the county sheriff’s office, Waseca Fire Department and North Waseca Ambulance then demonstrated the procedures typically followed after an accident, with each agency arriving in turn.

 

Dulas described the inter-agency cooperation and communication which protect the health, safety and privacy of the injured person.

 

The mannequin was loaded onto a backboard and carried to a nearby ambulance. Dulas described that, when first responders believe an injury needs to be treated at a trauma center, a helicopter might be called in to facilitate the fastest possible transport.

 

Dulas went on to share information about the processes and limitations of the helicopter, including that it could land only in wide open areas away from power lines.

 

“You are very lucky today,” he told the group, and went on to inform them an evacuation helicopter had been dispatched to the demonstration and would arrive in about eight minutes. The group walked to the edge of the open field on the fairgrounds and was able to watch as the helicopter arrived.

 

With the engine off and the rotors still, students were given a chance to walk past the craft and ask questions of the pilot and two emergency medical technicians.

 

Along with the staged accident and evacuation, students divided into groups and rotated among speakers who shared information about being safe as a passenger or driver, risks of exposure to chemicals, handling of chemicals, electricity and power lines, and safety around animals.

 

Roemhildt stressed the value of the various presentations and how knowing the information in advance could be pivotal in preventing future injuries or accidents.

 

She expressed Farm Bureau’s gratitude to the presenters, including the county sheriff’s office, Steele Waseca Cooperative Electric, North Waseca Ambulance, Crystal Valley, Summers Ridge Veterinary, the Waseca fire department and Northland Farm Systems of Owatonna.

 

She also expressed thanks to numerous local agencies whose donations helped make the day possible: Culligan of Waseca; Waseca County Corn and Soybean Growers; the Schoenfeld Family Fund; Cally Jo Children’s Fund; Janesville State Bank; Keen Bank; Compeer Financial and Midwest Bank.