Safety First: Students learn to be aware of dangers

By MONETTE TAYLOR | South Central Texas Edition

Students listen closely during one of the event's dramatic presentations which involved the landing of an emergency medical helicopter. -- Staff photo by Taylor

May 19, 2005 - You could have heard a pin drop … even on the dirt … as about 300 fifth graders intently listened to speakers at the recent Progressive Farmer Safety Day Camp at the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) Cooper Farm.

The students, from Fayette County public and parochial schools, heard about dangers involving fire, water, tractors, trains, firearms, and more at the May 5 event.

For the sixth year, LCRA arranged, with other entities, to make presentations on various safety routines and regulations that the students need to be aware of, and to carry back to their families.

LRCA's Lee Fritsch arranged for the fifth graders to hear sessions that included fire and emergency medical services (EMS), chemical alertness, all terrain vehicles (ATV), railroad safety and electrical safety.

It may have been the dramatic EMS program that really caught the attention of every student, teacher and attendee. For the first time, a helicopter with its team of emergency, critical care employees landed and explained their work. The presentation was complete with a vehicle that had "hit a tree" and included "bloody" passengers. Students watched in awe as the EMS personnel worked to check on the injuries, prepare the victims for flight to a hospital and load them on the waiting helicopter. Students were even taught about the correct way to approach the helicopter … to stay in the front, away from the propeller.

Other sessions covered water safety, automobile safety and tractors. Each instructor brought the students into discussions, according to their subject, and there was a lot of interaction between the kids and professionals.

Jesse Tarin, a LCRA ranger, talked to the kids about water safety, while Ross Bransford of Cedar Creek kept the attention of his group concerning firearm safety. The students were very interested in the firearms control, and watched Bransford very carefully as he showed them how to treat guns, safely, and what to watch for concerning dangerous actions.

When the students attended the electrical session led by Catherine Poppe, marketing and training coordinator of the Fayette Electric Co-op (FEC), they heard safety tips when around electrical lines and in stormy weather.

John Botello, presenter-trainer with the Rockdale Sandow and Southern Railroad out of Rockdale, talked about railroad safety, assisted by Don Smith. His "look, listen and live" program was well received by the students, and he told them there are at least 1,000 people killed at railroad crossings across the nation, yearly.

When LCRA first purchased the 180 acres previously owned by Theodore Cooper, their plan was to use the land for lignite mining, but it never came to fruition. The LCRA decided to make the farm, located between Giddings and Brenham, a wildlife conservation, farm safety and pond life safety farm to help educate students and adults. Today, the farm includes walking trails through native grasses and wildflowers and gardens. The converted barn is used by area schools, 4-H students and FFA members. Texas Cooperative Extension uses the area for various presentations and workshops for the community.