News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County’s annual farm safety day for the school district’s fourth graders takes place Friday at the county fairgrounds.
District Conservationist Robert Halfacre said the goal of the event is to teach children how to be safe in various situations found on a farm. Halfacre said it is important to advocate for farm safety because the area has such a heavy emphasis on agriculture.
“A lot of the children that we hope to see tomorrow will be from a farming background, or will have at least some exposure to – to an agricultural setting, and so, just based on numbers, you know, that’s something that we would want to do,” Halfacre said.
Halfacre said there will be a series of stations to teach students about different kinds of safety. He said stations at the event will include information about first aid, farm machinery, and fire safety.
Halfacre said over 100 volunteers and 250 students scheduled to attend. Halfacre said organizations involved in the event include the Overton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Natural Resources Conservation Service, TWRA, Farm Bureau, as well as local law enforcement and fire departments.
The event has been a part of student life for more than 20 years.
“The community support and the group that’s put together, they’ve done this a time or two and are very good at what they do,” Halfacre said.
Halfacre said other stations at the event will discuss wildlife, boating, electrical safety, and active shooter situations.
“Several of those topics and those stations aren’t just tied to agriculture,” Halfacre said. “So, you know, from electrical fires and structure fires, that sort of thing. Again, that’s something that any of us could encounter.”
Halfacre said every student who comes to the event will be given a life jacket.
“With Dale Hollow Lake being here and a lot of these kids, you know, either with pools or with the lake, that’s something that they can take and use and, you know, possibly pass down to younger siblings,” Halfacre said.
