UW Grant Will Help National Farm Medicine Center Double Rural Wisconsin Fire and EMS Departments that Receive Ag Safety Training

Monday, February 19th, 2024 -- 11:00 AM

(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A University of Wisconsin grant will help the National Farm Medicine (NFMC) double the number of rural Wisconsin fire and EMS departments that receive training in order to better plan for and prevent agricultural emergencies.

According to the Wisconsin Ag Connection, the UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research (ICTR) awarded NFMC Director Casper Bendixsen, Ph.D., an Evidence to Implementation (E2I) pilot award of $75,000 as part of its efforts to advance safety in agricultural work.

NFMC developed the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program in 2016 to conduct training on agricultural emergencies, including mapping of local farms, analyzing agricultural hazards, performing first aid on farms, and approaching the farm community.

The program has certified 78 fire and EMS trainers across 10 states and five Canadian provinces, including 30 Wisconsin fire and EMS departments under principal investigator Dr. Bendixsen’s direction.

The E2I award will allow RF-DASH to have trainees in at least 60 Wisconsin departments, doubling the program's reach. At least two trainees will be engaged in departments that are predominantly of the Plain community, which can include Amish and Mennonite people, among others.

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