Purdue News
Purdue News
It's a number that Purdue University Cooperative Extension safety specialist Bill Field would like to bring down. He's hoping that during Farm Safety Week, Sept. 21-27, teachers can use the video and lesson plan in The Careful Country Teacher's Kit to help youngsters avoid tragedy.
"Agriculture is unique in that young teen-agers and children perform useful work on the farm," says Jim Carrabba, a graduate assistant working with Field in agricultural safety and health. "There are no legal restrictions for them getting involved, because they're working for their parents on their home farm."
Children enjoy being responsible and contributing to the family enterprise. But more responsibility means more risk, and more risk means they need more safety training. Through the Rural Indiana Safer Kids (RISK) program, Field develops and offers educational resources that educators and parents can use to teach safety. One of those is the teacher's kit.
The Careful Country Teacher's Kit includes an 18-minute video, a lesson plan and activities centered around the Careful Country Farm Safety Coloring and Activity Book. In the coloring book, animal characters and "parent alerts" depict the primary health and safety hazards facing farm children. They teach parents and kids how to avoid injury.
The teacher's kit is available for $30 from The Indiana Rural Safety and Health Council, 1146 ABE Building, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1146, phone: (765) 494-5013. The council is a volunteer organization dedicated to reducing injuries and occupational illness on farms and in rural Indiana communities.
Single copies of the coloring book are available for $1 from the same address. The council offers discounts on multiple copies.
The council also offers free copies of a Childhood Health and Safety Resource Guide, a list of materials and organizations related to child safety and health. Call the council for a free copy or view it on the World Wide Web at: https://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~agsafety/risk/Resource/Intro.html
For more information on the RISK program and resources, visit the RISK Web site at: https://pasture.ecn.purdue.edu/~agsafety/risk/RISK.html
Sources: Jim Carrabba (765) 494-5013; e-mail, carrabba@ecn.purdue.edu
Bill Field (765) 494-1191
Writer: Rebecca J. Goetz, (765) 494-0461; e-mail, rjg@aes.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
