September 17, 2007
Bowling Green, Ky. - A Progressive Agricultural Safety Day for Warren County fourth graders is being planned for Sept. 27 at Western Kentucky University’s L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center on Nashville Road.
The event is being sponsored by the Kentucky Partnership for Farm Family Health and Safety in conjunction with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation. Co-sponsorship is provided by the South Central Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Warren County Cooperative Extension office.
According to Donita Lashley, coordinator for the event, children often see farm and livestock operations as exciting playgrounds – providing endless hours of fun and adventures. But these facilities and the livestock and equipment on them can also set the stage for tragedy.
Each year, many children are killed or injured on America’s farms and ranches. According to Ms. Lashley, “This summer, safety days such as the one being hosted by the Kentucky Partnership for Farm Family Health and Safety, are being held in numerous locations across the U.S., Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa to teach rural children how to prevent injuries and reduce the risk of farm incidents.” During the safety days, children participate in interactive activities that reinforce the importance of taking responsibility for their own safety, respecting parents’ safety rules and sharing safety tips with their family and friends.
Hands-on demonstrations teach participants lifesaving first aid techniques and reveal the hidden hazards of farm surroundings. Demonstrations focus on farm hazards associated with tractor, farm and lawn equipment use; all terrain vehicles; bicycle and roadway safety; animals; firearm and hunting safety; sun, water and food safety; and hidden hazards.
International, state and local sponsors of the safety days hope that participants will maintain a healthy respect for farm hazards throughout their lives, and that, ultimately, the numbers of deaths and injuries among rural children will decline.
The safety day program allows community leaders to structure a safety day that covers basic farms safety issues and first aid, as well as addressing specific local needs. Local farmers, manufacturers, and merchants donate their time and equipment to ensure that each safety day is a fun and valuable learning experience.
For more information on this event, please contact Donita Lashley at the South Central AHEC office by calling (270) 745-3325 or by email at donita.lashley@wku.edu
More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.
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