Air June 26, 2002

Thank you Gary, and good morning everyone. We’ve certainly had good wheat harvesting weather, and with any luck we are winding this year’s harvest down already. While I’ve talked to producers who had a few disappointing fields, I think most are pleasantly pleased with what’s been rolling into the combine. Compared to western Kansas, I think we have a lot to be thankful for!

I want to spend some time this morning talking safety. I feel that ag producers sometimes forget that they are their own safety committee or their own occupational safety and health administration. The bottom line being, that if you don’t look out for your own health and safety, nobody else probably will. Your spouse may nag and nag at you about health and safety, but you still have to assume the responsibility yourself. I always remember what a wise farmer, in this very county, told me many years ago. His very sage advice was this, "in all of life, it is invariably the little things that make the big difference." In the case of safety, the difference between a little problem and a big problem, can be a little attention to detail, meaning first aid. Do you have available a basic first aid kit in your vehicles to help with the little boo-boos that happen to us all? I remember as a 4-Her myself making first aid kits. Gosh we used tackle boxes, coffee cans, all sorts of things. None of them were ever dust proof or water proof and they seemed to work for a month or two. Nowdays, we have all sorts of resources available to us. New plastic containers are waterproof, dustproof and durable. You can quickly get the dozen or so emergency first aid supplies in one of these and have one in every vehicle as well as one in each tractor or combine cab. Don’t want to take the time to put a first aid kit together? You can go to a local store, or even a mail order supply house like Gemplers and get a dandy first aid kit for $26, or less if you buy in quantity. I got to thinking about this and suddenly realized that I truly don’t have a first aid kit in either one of my personal vehicles. I have some supplies in the car or in my briefcase that is usually with me, but not really a first aid kit per se. Hopefully, a first aid kit will be like insurance. You hope you never need it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you’ve got it!

This is Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook 2002.

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