A24—Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, May 17,1980 Volunteer firemen learn farm accident rescue tactics BY JOYCE BUPP Staff Correspondent LOGANVILLE - Volunteer firemen, upon whose knowledge and quick action rural lives often depend, spent two evenings this week learning some basics of farm accident rescue. Seventy volunteers representing fire companies throughout York County met Tuesday evening for a workshop on farm equip ment accidents. The hands on seminar was the second of a year-long senes being held for the fust time in the county. Jomt sponsors are the agnculture extension service and the Grange, who cooperated with the machinery session hosts, Neuhauses, Inc. Straw-stuffed dummies, constructed by Grange members, were wrapped, jammed and tangled m typical injury situations involving six separate pieces of high-powered farm machinery. Rescue volunteer students were divided into groups, spen ding 20 minutes at each simulated injury. Included Following removal from combine’s grain tank auger, the dummy victim is strapped into Stokes basket and removed from machinery. • BARN PAINTING • ROOF PAINTING • BIN PAINTING • MASONRY A EPOXY COATING • Sandblast preparation All work is guaranteed satisfactory. "Call the Country Boys with the Country Prices” GEBHARTS ■*oBl6 agriculture - Industrial - Commercial Box 145 A, R.D.4 Hanover, PA 17331 Ph: 717-637-0222 Farm accident rescue class members examine PTO hookup, which frequently is the site of mechanized mishaps in agricultural operations. in the dangerous equipment line-up was a self-propelled combine, pull-type corn picker, hay baler, pull-type forage harvester, self unloading chuck-wagon and a post hole digger. Fire company personnel arrived m a variety of rescue vehicles and prepared for the practice session with a backup of life-saving equipment. As the '“rescues” moved into full swing, volunteers used equipment like backboards, giant wrenches for leverage and Stokes baskets for lowering or raising accident victims by rope. Dennis Murphy, Penn State extension safety specialist, and Joel Grot tenthaler, Pennsylvania Emergency Health Services Council, comprised the professional safety team for the seminar. Murphy -literally got mto the act by entangling himself mto a non-operating three-pomt hitch posthold digger for each of the six rescue teams. Also assisting were Dave 'Weinstock, representing the York-Adams Grange, and Bkm a *nn an AGWAY PETROLEUM . BOX 1197, DILLERVILLE ROAD, LANCASTER, PA IAGWAYI Call 717-397-4954 Tim Markovits for York County extension services. Grottenthaler operated the training session with a brief lecture on the increasing loss of lives due to farm equip ment accidents. He at tributes that dangerous trend to the massive size of modem machinery, as well as the problem of farmers working alone m many situations. Other hazardous conditions include toxic atmospheres from silo and manure pit gasses, poten tially lethal farm chemicals, combustible vegetable materials and oxygen displacement. No rescue attempt should be made, Grottenthaler emphasized, until power sources of any type of equipment, are shut off. Engine batteries should be disconnected and grounding removed. Storage facilities equipment, such as feeders and augers in bins, cannot safely be handled until electrical power sources are cut off. Rescuers need tp be aware also of the possibilty of automatic-restart timing on some equipment, which could kick into action in the midst of a victim ex trication. NEW GRAVELYMOWERS BUILT TOUGH, LIKE OUR TRACTORS. l I _* IN NEARLY EVERY BRAND OF DIESEL TRACTOR Agway Green Diesel Plus gives faster starts, cleaner burning, and more power than conventional fuels It combines the best features of Agway # 1 and # 2 Green Diesel to give you a superior year 'round premium grade fuel Cal! today [■; PRIORITY AHUn) service AGWAY PETROLEUM While two trucks are a must when dealing with large farm machinery, tow ropes, says Grottenthaler, are a “no, no,” because they may stretch and snap, causing further injury. Cutting through machinery should only be (Turn to Page A 26)
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