The Rural Voice, 2003-01, Page 12Annual Meeting
of the Huron County
Pork Producers
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22
at the
Seaforth Community Centre
at 4 pm
Supper at 6:30 p.m.
Guest Speakers: Sam Bradshaw • "Bill 81"
Helmuth Spreitzer • Stabilization Programs
Tickets: $10.00. Call Marilyn Schiestel
392-6682 or any director.
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8 THE RURAL VOICE
Robert Mercer
First aid for the farm and it's free
Robert
Mercer was
editor of the
Broadwater
Market Letter
and
commentator
for 25 years.
It may be that December is the
time for Christmas, but January is the
time for farm meetings. Some you
must go to, and others you should go
to. It was one of the latter that I
attended in November, partly because
I was asked to, but also because I felt
that it was something I should go do.
Here's why.
"HELP ..." Do you know what to
do if this word is screamed with ear -
piercing intensity?
If you don't know what to do, you
can panic and waste very valuable
time at the scene of an accident. This
is time that can save a life, a limb or
even a liver if the person goes into
shock. Unless you know a little bit
about first aid, a trivial cut, bruise or
broken finger can soon become a
hospital visit.
So some farm family members
were taking advantage of a sponsored
partnership program between Farm
Credit Canada and St. John Ambulance
last month for their free farm -based
certificate program. This program
was offered on Vancouver Island in
November tor the first time. It was
held in Duncan and promoted to 4-H
members and farmers in the Cowichan
Valley. I joined in to listen and learn.
The program was fact filled and
provided students with a resource
package and a certificate of
completion from St. John Ambulance.
The instructor was Susanne Anderson
of St. John Ambulance who kept the
meeting moving along with humour
and information tailor-made for the
farm sector.
One of the first points stressed by
Susanne was the need to ask for, and
get, approval to help a casualty,
especially if the person is a non -
family member. This consent is
needed before touching or giving
advice at an emergency scene.
Care must also be taken in the
case of bleeding and handling of all
bodily liquids with the use of surgical
gloves. This is because of possible
disease transfer. On Vancouver
Island Susanne also mentioned the
higher incidence of Hepatitis C
infection among the general public
than elsewhere. People suffering
from this disease may also not be
aware that they are carriers.
This one -day course of farm first
aid covers such areas as what to do in
the case of choking, shock, wounds,
burns, poisons, and even the potential
of tetanus infection.
Another aspect of the training was
the care and concern for anyone with
a spinal or head injury. It is critical,
the group was told. to stabilize and
treat the injured correctly in those
first few moments, as it will make all
the difference between recovery and
what could turn out to be a life-long
disability.
Most members attending the
Duncan program were aware of
family members or close neighbours
who had unfortunate experiences or
mishaps on the farm. It is this
constant proximity to danger that
makes this type of community
involvement by FCC one of corporate
and individual payback.
If this program is offered in your
area and there is no one on your farm
with first aid training, I strongly
suggest that one member of the farm
team take the course. If there is no
course contact your local FCC office
to see where the program is being
sponsored, or if a group in your area
could get involved.
Even if you can't go, fulfill that
new year's resolution and check out
the family farm first aid kit today and
replace items missing and make sure
everyone knows where it is.
The immediate care and concern
for anyone with a spinal or head
injury is critical. How to•stabilize and
treat the injured in those first few
minutes will make the difference in,
recovery between a life-long
disability and a recovery to more
normal activities.0