Stayton Fire District Volunteers and staff assisted with the Cascade FFA Alumni’s 6th Annual Progressive Agriculture Safety Days on May 13th.  Cascade FFA Alumni sponsor the safety days because children often see farm and livestock operation as an exciting playground – providing endless hours of fun and adventure, but these facilities and the livestock and equipment on them also can set the stage for tragedy.  Each year, many children are killed or injured on America’s farms.  This year over 380 agriculture safety days will be held in the US, Canada, American Samoa, and the Virgin Islands.

During the safety days, children participate in interactive activities that reinforce the importance of taking responsibility for their own safety, respecting parents’ safety rules, and sharing safety tips with their family and friends.  Stayton Fire District was asked to assist with the first aid station, fire safety station, and fire extinguisher training for the adults.

The children rotate between the different stations in groups of 15-18 every 15 minutes and each station reinforces an important safety lesson with a hands-on activity whenever possible.  The event was attended by 220 third grade children from the North Santiam School District.  Children learned about basic first aid and put together a basic first aid kit to take home with them.  At the fire safety station children learned how outdoor fires often start and ways to prevent them.  Children then broke into teams for a simulated bucket brigade to help an adult put out a camp fire.

Even though the day was a bit on the cold side, the children and instructors had a great time.