Christmas kindness
“Kindness begins with the understanding that we all struggle.”
– Charles Glassman
Mental health is in the headlines daily, and we see the struggles within our communities, within our friends & family, and within ourselves. There is no easy or quick fix, especially as the reasons behind these struggles can be so different from one person to the next. However, when life gets messy, a little kindness and understanding (especially when it is directed towards yourself) can go a long way. Below are some articles that contain practical information and advice if the holiday season is presenting challenges to you or someone you know.
Why Kindness Matters | Psychology Today
A Little Bit of Knowledge Goes a Long Way – National Farmers Mental Health Alliance
The act of holding space: How to support one another in the agriculture community – National Farmers Mental Health Alliance
Cultivating the Positive Power of Gratitude – National Farmers Mental Health Alliance
Grief During the Christmas Season – National Farmers Mental Health Alliance
First Aid: An Essential Skill on Every Farm
- On average, it only takes 2 to 5 minutes for someone to bleed out.1
- Uncontrolled bleeding is a major cause of preventable deaths.1
- 70% of cardiac arrests happen at home or in a private residence.2
- Only 40% of people who experience cardiac arrests outside of a hospital get the help they need before emergency medical care is received.3
- One study showed that only 38% of people could recognize all major symptoms of a stroke and knew to call 9-1-1.4
- Someone who gets to an emergency room within three hours of showing initial symptoms of a stroke experienced less disability after three months than those who did not.4
- The majority of serious collisions (fatal injuries) occur in rural areas, where help is not typically readily available.5
There are a growing number of family farms around the province that have recognized the need to have their family members trained in first aid. These farms understand that first aid training provides essential skills and understanding to help them save a life should something happen. Some common reasons for getting this training include having family members with known medical conditions (e.g., heart problems), an awareness of how limited the availability of ambulance services within the province can be at times (particularly in rural areas) and even previous experiences where those skills were needed (e.g., coming across a collision or having an incident where someone was injured on the farm, etc.).
If you have been thinking about first aid training for your family or farm team, we encourage you to take action. You never know when you will need to use those skills, and you certainly won’t regret having them.
1. STOP THE BLEED Day: Bleeding Control Techniques – HSI
2. 11 things to know to save a life with CPR | American Heart Association
3. CPR Facts and Stats | American Heart Association CPR & First Aid
4. Stroke Facts | Stroke | CDC
5. Trans-Alberta Traffic Collision Statistics Summary
If you have farm-specific health and safety questions or require support relating to health and safety on your farm, please contact AgSafe Alberta at info@agsafeab.ca.
You may be eligible for onsite farm visits and up to 10 hours of advisor support at no cost!
Do I Really Need To Keep My First Aid Certification Current?
Yes, it is so very important to keep your certification current. Keeping your first aid certification current helps your skills stay sharp as skills that don’t get practiced can get rusty or, worse, lost!
Some people tend to think that keeping their first aid certification current is a money grab, but it really isn’t. In fact, only practicing these skills and reviewing this information once every three years may not be enough for some people. It is also important to remember that keeping your certificate current will save time and money in the long run, as you will only have to worry about the recertification process rather than redoing the whole course.
Another good way to think about it is to ask yourself: If I came across someone needing first aid (e.g., CPR) today, would I feel confident enough in my knowledge and skills to offer help and take action, or would I hope someone else with first aid training was there to do it instead of me?
When things happen, such as a heart attack, it is usually unexpected, and you may be that person’s only hope for survival or you may be their only hope for survival. First aid training is a win-win situation: if you never need to use it, great! But if you do, you will be thankful to have it.
Barn Fires:
Plan, Prevent & Protect
As the temperature drops, the risk of barn fires increases. According to one source, 47.4% of barn fires occurred between the months of November and March, with each fire’s financial losses ranging from a few hundred thousand dollars to as high as $15 million1.
Some Common Causes of Barn Fires
- Mechanical / electrical failures (e.g., shorts or built-in control feature failures)
- Improper use of extension cords (e.g., chaining together, overloading circuits)
- Smoking in the barn
- Heating appliances that are close to combustible materials
How to Prevent Barn Fires
- Regular inspections of equipment and work areas are key.
- Electrical issues are commonly identified as the leading cause of barn fires; not only is poorly or improperly maintained equipment an issue, but rodents moving indoors and chewing on wires is a real issue!
- Thoughtfully and strategically place fire extinguishers in key areas, perform regular checks on them, and ensure their certification is up to date.
- Develop emergency action plans; not only will this help, should a fire ever occur, but the process of developing a plan can help you identify and correct problem areas.
Planning Measures
- Create multiple access points for emergency vehicles to reach the barn; these access points should be no less than 12 feet in width, able to withstand a very heavy, fully-loaded tank truck, and kept clear of snow so that vehicles don’t get stuck.
- Install sprinkler systems, where possible.
- Fires take a lot of water to put out, making onsite water storage highly beneficial. Water can be in storage tanks or even a dugout that trucks can draft from if necessary.
- Install detection systems that will alert someone to a situation sooner and get help on the way faster.
Additional Resources:
The FARMERS CARE Program will provide you with an introductory level of knowledge relating to inspections and emergency preparedness.
The AgSafe Alberta FarmSafe Plan Manual and free online Learning Program will guide you through inspections and emergency preparedness, as well as other aspects of farm safety.
AgSafe Alberta Customizable Emergency Action Plan – Barn Fire
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs: Reducing the Risk of Fire on Your Farm
200310-HSI-Canada-Barn-Fire-Report-Final.pdf
Extension Cord Safety Basics
Whether you are using an extension cord to run Christmas lights, to thaw a waterer or to power your block heater, you will want to ensure you are using the right one it the right way.
- Inspect the cord for any damage before you use it; damage can look like cuts, melted areas, a loose plug, and bent, broken, or missing prongs.
- Choose the right extension cord for the environment; for example,do you need a light-duty or heavy-duty cord?
- Check that the cord matches the power requirements of the tools or devices.
- Be mindful not to overload the cord.
- Always unplug the cord by pulling the plug out of the receptacle and not by pulling on the cord itself.
- Use the right length of the extension cord; don’t plug a chain of cords together.
- Keep cords away from sharp edges and sources of heat. Protect them from being driven over.
- Keep cords away from water.
2024 CAMA Certificate of Merit
AgSafe Alberta has been recognized with a Certificate of Merit at the 2024 Canadian Agri-Marketing Association (CAMA) awards. The award ceremony, held on Nov 12, celebrated the achievements of various leaders in agricultural marketing.
Merry Christmas from AGSAFE!
CONTACT US
