Training to be a firefighter isn’t easy. Training to be a firefighter in an area that is prominently farmers is more difficult.
That’s why Brian Harbage offered his barn and land to the firefighters and EMS of Madison Township, German Township, and Stokes Township.
The training they would be receiving would be for farm related accidents, such as tractors tipping, machinery malfunctioning, and for when someone was stuck in a silo.
Harbage told that this was the first year that this kind of training had been available to the firefighters and EMS. Because the Townships could not afford to purchase the equipment needed, Harbage offered to purchase the equipment as well as give the needed land for the training to happen.
Fifty-seven EMS and firefighters were in attendance inside the barn that Harbage made available for the training. Also in attendance were the flight crew of Careflight as well as the Miami Valley Mobile Intensive Care Unit.
Mandy Via, a Careflight nurse, who was in attendance of the training, told of the fact that “most of [farm trauma] training doesn’t get to happen as often” as it should be happening. She was happy that so many of those who serve in the Townships Fire Department’s had shown up, as well as some of the local community of Madison Township.
Via had high hopes for this event, stating that she “hopes to bring out more of the local farmers in the future”. Harbage also shared this hope, as he wanted this kind of training to “become an annual thing”.
The training consisted of live presentations by members of the Careflight team, including the Director of Careflight, Dr. Andy Hawk, as well as actual hands on training with a dummy and equipment.
One of the presenters was a gentleman who had survived a farm related accident. At the training, he spoke of his accident and how proper training had saved his life.
At lunch time, one of the helicopters for Careflight was flown in and landed in Harbage’s field. The EMS and firefighters in attendance were given the chance to look around the inside and to learn the specifics of what is done on a Careflight flight.
Some of the topics that were discussed at the training were those that were pertinent to life on the farm. There was a presentation on child drowning and how it mostly affected young children between the ages of 2 and 4 years old, as well as children over the age of 15.
Overall, the training was a huge success, both in giving insight to those being taught, but also to the communities, who can now benefit from the training the their EMS and firefighters have received through the kindness of one man in Madison Township.
