skip to main content
Main Site Navigation
Top of main content

Rural safety central to lessons in St. Joseph and Olney schools

Rural safety central to lessons in St. Joseph and Olney schools
Using a grain entrapment simulator, students in Olney elementary schools learned just how much strength it takes to pull someone out of moving grain. No matter how hard they pulled outside of the opening in the bin, it was not enough.
 
“The simulator shows students no matter how strong they are, they cannot physically pull someone out of grain shifting beneath the feet of the victim. It is not possible to pull someone out when the grain is at someone’s waist and the pressure at that point to pull out a 165 pound person is 300 pounds,” Amy Rademaker, Rural Health and Farm Safety coordinator said.
 
The simulator was part of Progressive Ag Safety Day® held in the two communities this fall. Richland County Elementary School hosted 194 fifth grade students, which included Richland County Elementary School, Full Armor and St. Joseph School while more than 170 second grade students participated at St. Joseph Grade School in St. Joseph. Including the two locations, the safety program that is part of Community Health Initiatives at Carle Health, taught safety measures to 1,178 students in 2023.
 
“Ag Safety Day was a very successful day! My students had a lot of fun going from station to station. They learned a lot of things they may not usually think about, and they asked a lot of great questions,” Kenzie Hartsey, fifth grade teacher at Richland County Elementary School, said.

Agriculture partners used hands-on safety lessons to demonstrate the importance of staying healthy and safe outside of school and in their homes. This included safety around tractors, chemicals, bicycles, ATVs, electricity and many more areas.

“The most recent fatality data from the University of Illinois for 2019-2022 shows zero farm fatalities in the counties where Carle Rural Health and Farm Safety has Progressive Ag Safety Day®.  We know it is working.  Every three days across the U.S. a child will die in a farm-related incident.  I am thrilled that we are doing our part to minimize these in our area,” Rademaker said.
 

Categories: Staying Healthy, Community

Tags: Community Health, Olney, Rural Health and Farm Safety, St. Joseph