Fourth graders from several Butler County schools will learn about farm and rural safety Thursday at the Butler County fairgrounds.
Butler County Extension Program Coordinator Lesley Milius says the annual fourth grade Farm Safety Day will include students from Aplington-Parkersburg, North Butler and Clarksville. Area FFA chapters, 4-H County Council members, local businesses and emergency responders will help lead presentations throughout the day.
Milius says even in a rural county, farm safety lessons are important for students who are familiar with farms and for those who are not.
“It’s still a good reminder for those kids that already are more aware of it, but also for those kids that a lot of it is all new to them and they could be visiting the farm,” says Milius. “And so that just helps to make them and give them that awareness that, while we can’t always prevent accidents from happening, we can give these kids an awareness to be more proactive in their safety.”
The event will include presentations on fire safety, electrical safety, railroad safety, bike safety, animal safety, grain safety, and ATV and lawn mower safety. The Parkersburg Fire Department will present on fire safety, Butler County REC will cover electrical safety and Van Wall is expected to provide information on ATV and lawn mower safety.
Milius says the event comes at an important time of year, with more farmers working in the fields during planting season and more farm equipment traveling on rural roads.
