Farmers are being encouraged to prepare for emergencies that can become more serious when distance and response times delay professional help.
FarmSafe Manitoba is offering Farmers First Aid courses designed around the injuries, hazards and working conditions found on farms.
Jason Bourcier, program director at FarmSafe Manitoba, said the goal is to prepare farmers for emergencies and equip them with practical skills they can use while waiting for emergency responders.
“Typically, it will take emergency responders longer to arrive at a rural location,” Bourcier said. “Farmers, their families and farm employees need to have better training and knowledge about what to do while they wait.”
Farm emergencies can range from medical conditions to injuries involving animals and machinery. Participants learn to recognize and respond to heart attacks, sunstroke, cuts, lacerations, broken bones, concussions, burns and foreign objects in the eyes.
The training also addresses crush injuries caused by falling objects, livestock stepping on feet, hands becoming trapped and all-terrain vehicle rollovers. Serious entanglements involving augers and other moving machinery are a concern.
Participants learn when first aid is required and when medical assistance is needed. They are taught to assess dangers at an emergency scene and provide first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation without placing themselves or others at risk.
Bourcier said preparation can help people remain calmer, react faster and make better decisions during a crisis. In a serious incident, the response before paramedics arrive could determine whether someone survives or experiences a permanent disability.
The training is not limited to responding after an injury. FarmSafe Manitoba representatives introduce their services during the sessions and explain how they can help farmers identify hazards, investigate risks and develop safety programs for individual operations.
FarmSafe Manitoba has partnered with the Manitoba Canola Growers Association and Keystone Agricultural Producers to offer the courses and reach more farmers. The organization has worked with the canola association on previous first aid training.
FarmSafe Manitoba is an initiative led by Keystone Agricultural Producers to strengthen Manitoba’s culture of farm safety through awareness, education and program delivery.
Bourcier said keeping the training affordable is essential. Production costs continue rising, and the organizations do not want course fees to prevent farmers from receiving potentially lifesaving instruction. Rebates available through MCGA and KAP help reduce or eliminate the cost for eligible members.
A Farmers First Aid course held August 19 in Steinbach attracted 11 participants representing dairy, swine and layer operations.
Bourcier said the instructor created an engaging and approachable learning environment that helped participants build confidence in applying first aid. St. John Ambulance continues delivering the training, which is gaining recognition and adoption across Canada.
Participants arrived ready to learn and understood how the skills could be applied to their daily work, particularly on farms farther from emergency services.
Agriculture presents a combination of risks that few other workplaces share. Farmers may work alone, around large animals, at heights, inside confined spaces or near powerful moving equipment. Family members and employees are often the first people available when an incident occurs.
Knowing how to stop bleeding, begin CPR, protect an injured person and clearly communicate with emergency responders can preserve minutes. Recognizing hazards at the scene can also prevent one emergency from producing additional victims.
Bourcier’s message to farmers considering registration is straightforward.
“Don’t hold back,” he said. “The skills gained from this course could save your life or a family member’s life.” •
— By Harry Siemens