By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — In attempt to stress to children the dangers that lurk on any given farm, seven Farm Safety Day Camps are slated in Ohio this spring. The first will be held at the farm of Ruth Gerding in Putnam County on April 12-13.

“Children tend to be curious by nature and are often unsuspecting of lurking danger,” said Kathy Henwood, program coordinator for agricultural safety and health for the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences at the Ohio State University. “These are two characteristics that can cause harm to young people on farms, whether they live there or are visitors.

“Each year ap-proximately 2,000 youth across Ohio enjoy learning about how to protect themselves from rural hazards through Farm Safety Day Camps. And in Ohio, incidents are more likely to occur to children during the spring and summer months.”

The camps are targeted towards third-graders and are designed for children to participate in hands-on demonstrations and exhibits that focus on potential hazards and safe practices related to living, working and visiting on a farm.
The children are usually divided into small groups that rotate throughout the day to various learning stations such as sun safety, lawn mower safety, disability awareness, poisonous look-a-likes, horse safety, gun safety, fire safety, lightning safety, bike safety, ATV safety, basic first aid and car passenger safety. The day often includes a visit by an emergency rescue helicopter and a demonstration on tractor rollover safety.

Statistics from Ohio State University (between 2000-2009) show that there were 17 deaths on farms in the 1-10 age group and 18 deaths from those ages 11-20. Including all ages during this period there were 235 total deaths on the farm. Tractor incidents accounted for most deaths on the farm (101), followed by skid loaders (30), wagons (19), silos (19), combines (12), grain storage (12), ponds (6) and manure pits (6).

“Each site will be run a little differently,” Henwood said. “Some will even include mock accidents. Most of the camps will be working with local schools. And while most of the kids don’t live on the farm they certainly will visit the farm in their life.”

Other scheduled Farm Safety Day Camps will be held in Auglaize County (May 10 at Four Seasons Recreation Complex and Park, 419-628-3420); Wood County (May date TBD, Agriculture Incubator Foundation, 419-833-6014); Morrow County (May 6, Morrow County Fairgrounds, 419-947-1070); Fulton County (May 19, 4H Camp Palmer, 419-237-2247); Stark County (June 16, Stark County Fairgrounds, 330-830-7700); and Monroe County, October date TBD, (Woodsfield Elementary School, 740-472-0810).

“This is the 14th year for these safety programs for youth and the counties, locations come and go,” Henwood said. “Some host one year, but not the next. It moves across the state. The event has been held in Putnam County the most, though, and is in its 13th year.”

Farm Safety Day Camps are a collaborative sponsorship of Ohio State University Extension, Ohio Farm Bureau, Our Ohio and the Ohio 4-H Foundation.
For more youth dangers on the farm or for a listing of safety statistics for any age group visit Ohio State University Extension’s website at www.agsafety.osu.edu

According to Henwood, the mission of the camp program is to teach youth about rural dangers, but does so in a fun and instructional manner. To date, she adds, 17,100 Ohio youth have attended sessions that focus on this rural safety.

For more information about the camps contact Kathy Henwood at 614-292-0622.