Farm Safety Day 2009
K - 7th Grade Students Learn About Safety around the Farm
by Shirley Ewing
September 30, 2009
What do cows, rabbits, kittens, kids, volunteers, and lawn mowers all have in common? They all came together September 23rd to celebrate the 12th annual Safety Day by Progressive Ag Foundation and Silver Lake Public Schools.
The pre-school thru 7th graders learned about safety on this cool, but windless day. Mr. Grandstaff taught the proper way to handle knives. Mr. Ewing stressed the importance of wearing safety glasses and picking up objects in the path of lawn mowers. Proper care of handling animals, and the difference in human weight and animal weight was shown to amazed students by Mrs. Conway. Mrs. Geyer explained that it is the law to call 811 before you dig. She showed the many colors used to mark different underground wires. The State Troopers displayed the importance of wearing seat belts and how lives are saved because of them. Mr. Klein and Mr. Kangas brought chemicals that look a like to stress the importance of marking all containers. Mr. and Mrs. Skupa came to the rescue and did an informative session on Stranger Dangers. They talked to students not only about what can happen when a stranger comes up to you, but also about what can happen on the internet.
The small groups then came together as one to see what happens when you do not stay away from a PTO thanks to Mr. Niemeyer. The Campbell Fire Department brought their Jaws of Life to demonstrate what happens when a person is caught in a vehicle at the time of an accident.
The day was attended by 143 students, 40 volunteers, and a host of parents. All said they had learned at least one new thing and felt more educated and prepared for safety as they left, with each family receiving a carbon monoxide detector and smoke alarm.
