Farm Safety Training Event

Co‑Hosted by NYCAMH, CCE Wyoming County, Wyoming County Farm Bureau

Date: Thursday, March 26, 2026

Time: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

Location: Bliss, NY

Trainers:

Erik Merrell – Agricultural Safety Educator and Paramedic - Erik Merrell is an Agricultural Safety Educator at NYCAMH and a paramedic, bringing first‑hand experience with rural emergency response and the risks associated with mechanized equipment in agricultural settings. Erik leads tractor safety and emergency preparedness training throughout New York State, working with agricultural communities.

Tito Chavez – Bilingual Agricultural Safety Educator - Tito Chavez is a Bilingual Agricultural Safety Educator with NYCAMH. His professional background includes viticulture, enology, and farm labor contracting, which strengthens his ability to deliver practical, culturally‑responsive safety training for farm operations.

Agenda

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Hands‑On Farm Safety Training
Down Cow Response - Learn safe, effective techniques for assessing and assisting a down cow, including proper approach, hazard recognition, stress reduction, when to use lifting equipment, and when veterinary intervention is required.

Skid Steer Safety - Review essential operational best practices to prevent the most common skid‑steer‑related injuries. Topics include safe mounting/dismounting, attachment use, blindspot awareness, hydraulic hazards, and maintaining stability.

Confined Space Hazards - Understand the risks present in agricultural confined spaces such as silos, grain bins, manure pits, and crawl spaces. Learn how toxic gases form, why attempted rescues often become fatal, and how to prevent entry or mitigate hazards safely.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Lunch Break – Farm Hazard Mapping and Wyoming County Comprehensive Plan

1:00 PM – 2:30 PM

Stop the Bleed - Hands‑on training in controlling severe bleeding through direct pressure, wound packing, and tourniquet application. Scenarios focus on common farm‑related injuries such as equipment entanglements, lacerations, and puncture wounds.

Hosted by: Cornell Cooperative Extension | Wyoming County