Agricultural workers are 8-10 times more likely to die on the job than the average U.S. worker, and emergency responders experience fatality rates 3-4 times higher than the average worker with 88,000 rural firefighters injured each year. Firefighters and farmers have different jobs, but both face risks as part of their everyday duties. These shared risks are why the National Farm Medicine Center in partnership with Pittsville Fire Company, Life Link III, Heiman’s Holsteins, Heeg Farms Inc., and Marshfield Clinic Health System are teaming up to provide 100 emergency responders statewide the opportunity to attend the second annual Agriculture Rescue Training this fall, October 21-22, 2022.
The severity of incidents on farms occur in low frequency, but when they do happen they pose as a high risk to emergency personnel. That’s why the Agriculture Rescue Training is training fire and EMS so that they can be better prepared for agricultural emergencies.
Through the Agriculture Rescue Training, first responders will increase their awareness of farm hazards, how to pre-plan emergency responses to a farm, and use specialized equipment and techniques to safely rescue someone involved in a farm emergency.
The training will be held in Marshfield, WI. Friday evening will consist of a virtual/live presentation format from various experts covering topics of injury prevention to patient stabilization. Saturday will consist of an all-day in-person event covering five workshops (tractor rollover, grain bin rescue, silo rescue, various equipment extrications, and farm familiarization). Small breakfast and a full lunch will be provided at the Saturday training.
New this year, an Agriculture Rescue Training, Train-the-Trainer course, will also be offered during the day October 21. This will equip participants with in-depth knowledge how to organize and conduct their very own Agriculture Rescue Training.
Spots are filling up fast, so make sure to register soon! If your department brings 3 or more personnel to the training, your department will also receive a free, four gas monitor. For additional information and to register for the training, visit http://agrescue.org/.
Safer farms build safer communities and no team is better equipped than the one with both firefighters and farmers on it.
