FROM THE FARM REPORT: MANURE PIT SAFETY TRAINING

In early April, Miner Institute hosted Dan Neenan from the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (www.necasag.org) for a manure pit and confined space safety training for first responders. This training was organized by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County and Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County with financial support from DFA, Cargill, Poulin Grain, AgroLiquid, Farm Bureau, Farm Credit East, Foy Agency Insurance, and the Kevin Daniels Agency. Personnel from the Mooers, Peru, Cumberland Head, Champlain, Keeseville, and Hemmingford fire departments were in attendance.

Neenan offered a 45-minute classroom session followed by a hands-on training exercise where all the firefighters geared up and took turns rescuing two “victims” from Neenan’s manure pit simulator that was set up in the dairy barn. The training emphasized the importance of air quality monitoring before, during, and after rescue, and the proper use of self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), rope rigging for below grade rescue and the use of a rescue tripod.

The first responders in attendance were extremely grateful for the opportunity to participate in this important training. Neenan himself is a long-time member of the fire department in his Iowa community and was able to relate to the experiences of the participants.

Farm Manager Steve Couture and Crops Supervisor Shawn Bechard attended the training from Miner Institute’s dairy team. They found the training informative and expressed gratitude to Cornell Cooperative Extension and the sponsors for making it possible.

The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS) was born in the mid-1990s after a successful pilot course was held at Northeast Iowa Community College with the National Safety Council to raise awareness about safety issues in agriculture and rural communities. NECAS opened its facility on the Northeast Iowa Community College Peosta campus in 1997. It houses a hands-on farm equipment safety training center with classrooms, resources and a library.

NECAS offers training programs in hazardous materials, tractor rollover protection, combine safety, confined spaces, rescue procedures for grain bin entrapment, auger extrication and manure pits, and various youth programs. Additionally, training tailored to specific needs is offered. The organization’s mission is to prevent illnesses, injuries and deaths among farmers and ranchers, agricultural and horticultural workers, their families and their employees.

— Rachel Dutil

dutil@whminer.com