GLANDORF, Ohio (WLIO) — Would you know what to do if there was an emergency on a farm? For 26 years, Ruth Gerding has been inviting all Putnam County third graders to her home to learn just that during Putnam County Farm Safety Days.
The kids learn about different emergency situations that could happen, such as water safety around ponds and electrical safety.
The students learn what to do if there is an ATV accident in a rural area, including how to call 911 and when LifeFlight may be needed to transport someone who is seriously injured.
The students also learn what to do if there is an ATV accident in a rural area, including how to call 911 and when LifeFlight may be needed to transport someone who is seriously injured. Gerding says she has had around 12,000 students over the last three decades and believes the lessons are sticking with them.
“It is so rewarding because the kids get so much out of it. We cannot measure what they get out of it, but every once in a while, get some comments on what people have learned. We recently had a parent call of where their child, who was a teenager, was in a car accident and they had the power lines down. They knew to stay in that vehicle, because they learned it at farm safety. So, I figured, if they're remembering this nine and 10 years later, it's going to be retained,” says Ruth Gerding, Putnam County Farm Safety Days.
Students also learn about grain entrapment, chemical safety, and tractor safety.
