AGRIMEDIC

Description

In 2000, organizations in rural Louisiana met to discuss how to improve farm rescue. They found that it took too long to extract farmers or farmworkers who were pinned under or had limbs trapped in equipment, and sometimes first responders were injured or killed while responding to a fire or injury on a farm.

The Southeast Louisiana AHEC, which serves 13 parishes (3 rural by CMS and FORHP definitions, 9 rural by CMS definitions, and 1 urban), offers an AGRIMEDIC training course to EMS providers and fire/rescue personnel to help them respond more quickly and safely to farm injuries. Emergency providers will then be able to help agricultural workers reduce mortality, injury, and property loss resulting from agricultural emergencies.

Services offered

The Southeast Louisiana AHEC travels to fire departments and provides training for first responders throughout the state of Louisiana and Mississippi. The first day takes place in a classroom setting and the second day is hands-on training on a farm. Participants learn about power take-off (PTO) entanglements and tractor overturn, among other types of injuries.

The cost for the training is $80 per participant. The participant receives a manual, certificate, and AGRIMEDIC patch. Upon successful completion of the provider training course, participants will be qualified to provide emergency medical services specific to agricultural emergencies.

Results

A total of 810 EMS, fire, and rescue personnel have received AGRIMEDIC training.

A fire department chief in rural Tangipahoa Parish gave the following testimonial about AGRIMEDIC: "The class was very informative about the hazards on farms and what to expect. We learned the techniques necessary to do rescues on farm equipment by going to an equipment dealer and looking at all the different types of equipment available and the hazards in operating each piece of equipment. We also participated in a hands-on training exercise, which was great training with actual equipment and how to do extrication. We are looking forward to sponsoring another class to keep us up-to-date on rescues so we are prepared when responding to farm equipment responses, because we live in a rural area where a lot of this equipment is being used on a daily basis and we have to respond to many of these types of accidents."

Replication

If you live in Louisiana, contact the Southeast Louisiana AHEC to coordinate a program in your area. If you live outside of Louisiana, contact your AHEC to assist you with a rural training experience.

Contact Information

Elizabeth W. Tamor, Chief Learning Officer
Southeast Louisiana AHEC
liz.tamor@selahec.org