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Special training needed for farm accident rescues
Missouri
Farming reportedly is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S. Thousands of injuries and deaths stemming from farm accidents occur each year.
Rescuing a victim of a farm accident can require a basic understanding of rescue procedures involving farm machinery that assures safety of both the victim and the rescuer.
That's why the recent University of Missouri Extension Fire and Rescue Training Institute's Summer Fire School included a special training course for emergency workers who might respond to a serious farm accident.
"One of the things we teach is how to make the machinery and scene safe for the rescuer to work as well as for the injured person," said Phil Sayer, course instructor from Galt, Mo. "We teach how to dismantle, raise or move the machinery to safely remove the patient."
The participants in the class--mostly firefighters or emergency medical personnel from small rural communities across the state--already have first aid training, but not likely the type of training dealing with accidents related to farm machinery, he said.
For example, tractor rollover is one of the most common farm accidents, particularly when it comes to operators using older tractors, he said.
During the class, tractors were turned over with dummies under them to simulate a rollover accident. Use of chains, jacks and inflation bags was demonstrated to free the victim.
Corn headers and combines were cut up and dismantled. Jacking and blocking techniques were demonstrated to stabilize those machines.
"A lot of people have tunnel vision when coming upon an accident and go charging in without thinking about their own safety," he said.
Sayer said many times accidents happen to city people who have moved to the country.
"The problem that we see is that we have a lot of people come out of the city and buy 20, 30 or 40 acres and then go buy a 40-year old tractor.
They put on a brushog or mowing machine on their tractor and turn it over," he said.
Date: 6/24/04
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