According to the Reading Eagle, 34 people attended the event, which was held at Bethel's Union Fire Company. The event used training procedures created by Penn State University, including how to deal with farm equipment that has rolled over.
Eric Rickenbach, who volunteers with the company that helps organize the training events, told the paper that the skills and tools emergency workers use on car accidents may not work when it comes to trying to break through agricultural equipment and get a trapped person out. He said farm equipment is designed to help complete difficult work.
"In order to do these things, they're built to be tough," Rickenbach said.
As a result, having actual experience with farm equipment should prove useful for emergency responders, though Rickenbach added that many rural fire departments have members who have dealt with these machines.
How farmers handle their agricultural equipment may help avoid needing the help of emergency responders. Operators should make sure they take it easy while making turns, and while on roads should have the proper decals on their machines.
