News : Farm safety day includes lessons from experts, and family of girl injured in ATV accident

BJ Neustel shows Farm Safety Day participants the X-rays of the leg of his daughter, Carley, who was injured in an ATV accident a year ago. Along with the safety professionals and local FFA members, the annual Farm Safety Day sponsored by the Benton County Extension Service with the help of area agricultural partners often includes warnings from someone who has been injured in an accident on a farm. This year, the participants heard from BJ and Carley Neustel. Carley was riding an ATV with her sister on Labor Day in 2015, when the ATV overturned. While Carley's sister escaped serious injury, Carley suffered serious injuries on both legs. Her right leg, after surgeries, remains in a cast. Her father said she is expected to recover, but will always have "pretty nasty scars" as a reminder of the incident. BJ and Carley showed the young participants her X-rays, as well as a device used to hold her surgically repaired leg in place while she healed. Vinton-Shellsburg, Benton and Belle Plaine FFA members participated, sharing lessons on grain and animal safety, and helping to get the students from station to station. A favorite station was the Vinton Fire Department's fire extinguisher lesson, where firemen let children use an extinguisher to put out a smal fire in a metal container, and also warned them about the dangers of grease fires in a kitchen. See more photos HERE. About Farm Safety Day: The Benton County Extension Service in conjunction with Progressive Agriculture, Benton County Farm Bureau, Vinton-Shellsburg FFA, Belle Plaine FFA, Benton Community FFA, Unity Point Clinic (Vinton & Shellsburg Family Practice), and Benton County beef, pork and dairy commodity groups are sponsoring the event. Progressive Agriculture is the special sponsor for this event.

• According to Greg Walston, Safety Day Coordinator, children often see farm and livestock operations as a fun and exciting playground that can provide endless hours of fun and adventure. Unfortunately, these farms and the livestock and equipment found there can set the stage for tragedy. Many serious injuries and 6 fatalities have occurred as recent as this summer to children in Iowa under 16. In fact, the highest rate of farm injuries occurs to children ages 5 to 14.
• Walston noted that safety days sponsored by Progressive Agriculture, in cooperation with local groups, are being held throughout the state, nation and the world to teach children how to reduce and prevent injuries. During the event, children will participate in activities and be trained to recognize the importance of taking responsibility for their own actions. They will be encouraged to follow safety rules, listen to adults who supervise them and share safety rules with their family and friends.

Topics presented at Benton County's event this year included: ATV safety, tractor safety, animal safety, 911 emergency, first aid, water safety, electrical safety, skid loader safety, fire safety and grain safety.