Community Volunteers Keep Kids Safe Through Progressive Agriculture Safety Day® Events.

The deadline to apply for a 2017 Safety Day is July 15th.

Winnipeg, MB, July 12, 2016: The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) in partnership with the Progressive Agriculture Foundation (PAF) is pleased to announce that over 90 PAF Safety Day events are planned to take place in nine provinces in 2016.

The Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program typically consists of a one-day safety event that help children learn how to be safe on the farm, ranch and at home. Safety Days are designed to be age-appropriate, hands-on, fun and safe for children and volunteers.

All successful Safety Days have one thing in common – a dedicated volunteer coordinator. Glen LePoudre, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Safety Day coordinator from Manitoba is just such a coordinator.

As an EMT, LePoudre has seen people hurt on the farm. “We’ve had to respond to bad scenes,” he says. “We have to promote farm safety so we don’t have to go to any more accident sites.” He explains that “pretty much every person you know, knows somebody involved in a farm accident. These Safety Days are a way to help.”

LePoudre coordinated his first Safety Day in 2004 in his home community of Boissevain. Since then, LePoudre has coordinated 19 Safety Days between two local communities. “This is a great community, there is a lot of community spirit,” he explains. “We hold these safety days for grades five and six and we even have four Hutterite colonies attend the safety days.”

Safety Days are coordinated by the community, for the community and LePoudre is quick to point out that his community is supportive of the safety days. “We never have any trouble getting volunteers,” he says. LePoudre says that topics like power take off safety, sun awareness, ATV safety and animal safety are frequently chosen by the organizing committees.

When asked about why he has been so committed to organizing these days, LePoudre is humble. “It’s rewarding, running a safety day. It’s helping communities help kids be safe,” he says.

Communities that would like to host a Progressive Agriculture Safety Day in 2017 can apply online at www.casa-acsa.ca and click on Safety Days. The deadline to apply is July 15, 2016. Safety Day coordinator training is available in both official languages. For a list of 2016 Safety Day events in Canada visit casa-acsa.ca/SafetyDays.

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association is a national, non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and safety of farmers, their families and agricultural workers. CASA is funded in part by Growing Forward 2, a federal, provincial and territorial initiative and receives additional support from the agricultural and corporate sectors. For more information, visit www.casa-acsa.ca, find us on Facebook or LinkedIn or follow us on Twitter @planfarmsafety.

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