Harvest safety instruction in Packwood

PACKWOOD ? Representatives of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety will teach the fundamentals of harvest safety to Pekin students Friday.

Kindergarten through 12th-grade students at Pekin Community School District will have the opportunity to learn about safe handling of farm equipment throughout the day.

An evening session at the school is free and open to the public, and offers an opportunity for farmers to learn about grain and manure engulfment and the equipment that can successfully rescue them from accidents.

NECAS staff from Northeast Iowa Community College will be on hand beginning at 5 p.m. to demonstrate engulfment simulators and share information about local needs for rescue equipment.

The local beef producers will offer a meal for purchase, and attendees will be able to purchase brightly colored, high-visibility T-shirts and sweatshirts, with all proceeds going to the nonprofit Farmer Awareness Community Training to purchase equipment for local fire and rescue teams.

Saturday and Sunday, NECAS instructors will provide harvest safety training for area fire and rescue teams to help them respond to tractor rollovers and grain or manure engulfments.

Mandy Hammes of Packwood, who helped organize the events, said area farmers are encouraged to come and learn more by testing the simulators and asking questions of safety experts.

?As we head into the busy harvest season, it?s a great time to ensure we understand how to protect ourselves and rescue others on the farm,? Hammes said.

The NECAS is based in Peosta.