Recently five Station 4-9 firefighters attended Agricultural Rescue Training at the Paradise-Leaman Place Fire Company (Station 4-7). The classes spanned three evenings and an all day Saturday. The classes were sponsored by the Pennsylvania State University. The members attending were Lieutenant T. Steinmetz, Safety Officer C. Eno, Safety Officer M. Lantz, Firefighter/EMT D. Stoltzfus, and Firefighter/EMT D. Lapp.

The first Wednesday and Monday evening sessions were lecture based and covered the various types of hazards encountered in an agricultural setting, and how to properly mitigate an emergency. The second Wednesday evening session featured a trip to a local farm to view various types of farming implements and mixing units to see how a victim could become entrapped. After the class returned to the firehouse, various hands-on tabletop exercises were featured to give the students a feel for what they would possibly encounter on the Saturday "life-size" scenarios.

On Saturday morning, the class met at Station 4-7 before proceeding to the Rhorer Farm on Strasburg Road. Scenarios covered included removing amputated "hands" from a corn picker, a "patient" trapped in a combine, a "patient" trapped under a skid-loader, a "patient" trapped under an overturned tractor, as well as a "patient" trapped under an upright tractor. Students were also given opportunity to use a cutting torch, as well as removing patients from the cab of a tractor.

Thank you to all of the instructors for sharing your knowledge with the class, and thank you to Station 4-7 for the invitation to attend the classes!