Ag Safety & Rescue

This is site is devoted to farm and agricultural safety, health, and emergency service response. You may use the links at left or review the information below to explore many facets related to farm safety and agricultural rescue programs. This site is mainly devoted to Pennsylvania, but many of the items are applicable anywhere.

Please use the links at left and below to explore various programs, issues, and other items pertinent to agricultural, safety and health and bookmark this page as it will be updated regularly with new items and information. Click on the logos or buttons to visit the links.

Another hurdle in farm safety and rescue efforts...

For those Pennsylvania Fire and EMS organizations wanting to plan a farm rescue training next year (2009):

There will be great competition for the PA Department of Agriculture tuition dollars that many organizations use to help offset the costs of the PAgRescue training programs. For this reason I wanted to let everyone know that:

There MAY (no guarantees) be tuition reimbursement dollars available for training;
The available dollars will most likely only cover 50% of the total cost (up to $100);
That there may be a need to reserve the funds on a first REGISTERED first serve basis. That is, a department that registers in the spring for a course next fall might be more likely to receive the reimbursement than a department that waits until later to schedule a class, even if this class happens before the first one that registered early.

The major point in all this is that more than likely there will only be enough dollars to fund only 50% of the tuition beginning in 2009. Organizations will want to strongly consider applying for the small grants program beginning in August to help offset costs.

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My opinion...

Unfortunately, I am concerned the Governor, Agriculture Secretary, and the majority of the General Assembly still do not see or understand the value of everyone's efforts in the area of farm safety and farm accident emergency response.

And as a taxpayer myself, I am concerned that the entire Department of Agriculture budget has been slashed yet again this year even though the overall state budget has grown. Maybe one of them would like to "go public" or someone could explain the reasons for this? The invitation is open to discuss this in the forum...

Eric J. Rickenbach

March 21, 2008

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