DARLINGTON - Sixteen youth in the Lafayette County Tractor Safety program experienced true "hands-on" learning on Saturday, March 7, thanks in great part to Ritchie Implement and the Darlington Fire Department.
Participants met at Ritchie Implement, where Rodger Wiegel and the staff helped youth look at different pieces of equipment, assess the safety issues with each piece, and talk about what needed to be changed. Youth had a tour of Ritchie's facilities and of the different equipment that Ritchie Implement carries or helps fix. After the tour, the participants looked at different machinery and, working in groups, talked about what needed to be changed on them to make them more safe.
After the visit to Ritchie Implement, participants went to the Darlington Fire Department firehouse, where Scott Glendenning and Tim Hastert taught them about fire safety-in general and on farm machinery. Everyone heard a lesson from Glendenning, got a tour of the facilities, and then learned to how run a fire extinguisher by practicing on man-made fires in a safe manner. Several youth had never practiced with one before, so it was a great experience for everyone.
The class, sponsored by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department, Lafayette County FFA Advisors/Agri-culture Educators, University of Wisconsin-Extension and Lafayette County Fair, requires the youth to spend 24 hours in instruction and written and driving examinations. Instructors for March 7 included: Fred Norder and Reggie Gill, Lafayette County Sheriff's Department; and Jessie Potterton, Lafayette County 4-H Youth Development Educator.
For more information on the Lafayette County Tractor Safety program, contact Jessie Potterton, UW-Extension Lafayette County 4-H Youth Development Educator at (608) 776-4820 or e-mail: jessica.potterton@ces.uwex.edu.
Participants met at Ritchie Implement, where Rodger Wiegel and the staff helped youth look at different pieces of equipment, assess the safety issues with each piece, and talk about what needed to be changed. Youth had a tour of Ritchie's facilities and of the different equipment that Ritchie Implement carries or helps fix. After the tour, the participants looked at different machinery and, working in groups, talked about what needed to be changed on them to make them more safe.
After the visit to Ritchie Implement, participants went to the Darlington Fire Department firehouse, where Scott Glendenning and Tim Hastert taught them about fire safety-in general and on farm machinery. Everyone heard a lesson from Glendenning, got a tour of the facilities, and then learned to how run a fire extinguisher by practicing on man-made fires in a safe manner. Several youth had never practiced with one before, so it was a great experience for everyone.
The class, sponsored by the Lafayette County Sheriff's Department, Lafayette County FFA Advisors/Agri-culture Educators, University of Wisconsin-Extension and Lafayette County Fair, requires the youth to spend 24 hours in instruction and written and driving examinations. Instructors for March 7 included: Fred Norder and Reggie Gill, Lafayette County Sheriff's Department; and Jessie Potterton, Lafayette County 4-H Youth Development Educator.
For more information on the Lafayette County Tractor Safety program, contact Jessie Potterton, UW-Extension Lafayette County 4-H Youth Development Educator at (608) 776-4820 or e-mail: jessica.potterton@ces.uwex.edu.
