Even as farmers were out in their fields, dozens of first responders from the Foothills Fire Department were preparing for the worst.
More than 20 members of the 150-person department attended a training session at Heritage Pointe Fire Station in De Winton earlier this month. Among the sessions was a hands-on practice in which a dummy was freed after its leg became entangled in a grain auger.
The training session was put on by Agriculture for Life, which has a checklist for reducing the danger on the farm and assisting first responders if there is an accident.
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- Have a ‘work alone’ plan for your operation: Families and employees should know where everyone is working and when they are expected to be done.
- Ensure that all equipment safety guards are in place and working properly.
- Keep first aid kits in equipment. Everyone should be trained in first aid and know what to do until first responders can arrive.
- Have a fire extinguisher in farm equipment and ensure everyone knows how to properly use it in an emergency.
- Keep a list handy of the legal land location of all fields and pastures, along with the best access points for getting on those parcels of land.
- If possible, have an individual meet first responders at the road to help direct them to the incident.
