The #1 Farm Rule: Safety First
What is the one thing that animals, power lines, SWAT vehicles, and farm machinery have in common? They all have valuable safety lessons worth learning.
The Pender FFA Chapter hosted its 28th annual Farm Safety Day on Wednesday, Sept. 16, in Pender City Park. Pender elementary students in third through sixth grade, along with students in third grade from surrounding schools Wakefield and Emerson-Hubbard, were the guests.
Starting in 1998, the Farm Safety Day was a joint venture with Emerson-Hubbard and Dakota and Thurston County Extension, with support from Progressive Farmers. Farm Safety Day alternated between Emerson Park and Pender Park for the first four years, eventually landing in Pender City Park permanently.
This was a full day event where 80 Pender FFA members helped over 160 elementary students learn and rotate between 10 different stations lasting 20 minutes each. This year’s stations included Wildlife and Watersheds by the Thurston County Extension, Electricity by Northeast Nebraska Public Power, Planter Safety presented by AgriVision Equipment, two machinery safety presentations, Companion Animals and Large Animals presented by Angela Sanderson from the Pender Veterinary Clinic, Sprayer and Chemical Safety by Central Valley Ag, and an Armored Vehicle and Fatal Vision demonstration by Nebraska State Patrol.
Some favorites from students included getting to see inside and outside of a SWAT vehicle, getting to learn about the safety around animals, and a safety power demonstration which included ways to avoid accidents around power lines. Attendees always enjoy learning about the blind spots in a large machine – this year that machine was a planter. A student acts as a farmer in the cab, while students hide in different spots to see if they are visible to the driver or not. Pender FFA members also led a brain-break game station, which is always a hit!
Students were brought together at the beginning of the day, with a demonstration of the Pender FFA Officer team’s opening ceremonies, five individuals reciting the FFA Creed, and a mock rescue by Pender Volunteer Fire and Rescue. In the mock rescue, Pender student Khloe Swanson was involved in a horse accident, which the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Team resolved, and demonstrated safety procedures.
The event was coordinated by Mary Paeper of Thurston County Ag Society, Lexi Meister, Pender FFA Advisor, Jacob Lamplot, Pender FFA Assistant Advisor, and the Pender FFA Officer team.
