Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industries in the United States. Parkview Whitley Hospital paramedic and Whitley County farmer Steve Gebert is well aware of that, and he has seen firsthand what can happen to people when they let their guard down or take shortcuts. Oftentimes the outcome is fatal.
Training is the key, said Gebert, so he and Christopher Scheumann, Parkview Health trauma outreach coordinator, are offering a four-hour class geared exclusively to first responders and medical personnel. Except for the past two years, the class has been offered yearly since 1986.
Gebert also realizes how important it is to provide appropriate training for paramedics, EMTs and other first responders, including rural volunteer fire department personnel, who respond to agricultural emergencies. Their ability to respond quickly, expertly and safely allows them to be very effective in an emergency. However, farm emergencies have their own unique challenges, and the safety of rescuers is very important.
“Those of us who have responded to a difficult farm emergency have learned that this type of call can be extremely challenging,” said Gebert. “Appropriate training in farm and rural rescue results in better patient outcomes and reduces the likelihood of rescuer injury or death.”
The revived class includes a 45-minute slide presentation, pre-testing, grain bin and silo safety, farm machinery safety, livestock safety and anhydrous ammonia/chemicals safety. Future plans include offering the class to first responders in surrounding counties.
Educating hospital personnel is also important. EMT, nursing and physician courses rarely include agricultural injury information, said Gebert. “As a result,” he added, “medical personnel know little about the complexities of farm-machinery trauma or exposures to silo gas or anhydrous ammonia. Hospital emergency medical personnel need to be oriented to farm injuries and be provided reference materials and information on available rehabilitation services.”
First responders and medical personnel interested in additional information or in signing up for the class can call Steve Gebert at (260) 609-7113, or Christopher Scheumann at (260) 373-3519.