Play
It Safe: Slide Show Script |
Slide |
Narrative |
Slides
#1, #2, & #3:
2 or 3 VT panoramas - all distant landscapes. |
These
beautiful rural scenes must look familiar to you. |
Slide
#4: pasture shot. |
Well,
that's because these scenic landscapes are taken near
where you live - a playground of pastures
... |
Slide
#5: hill shot. |
and
hills ... |
Slide
#6: farm shot showing at least barn and pond. |
and
farms. You probably have a lot of fun in settings just
like these. Right? Exploring barns, riding snowmobiles
or ATV's, swimming in ponds, helping your family with
chores or farm work ... |
Slide
#7: panorama that includes rural home. |
But
these scenes - and the play and work they inspire - are
not always as peaceful and safe as you think they are. |
Slide
#8: panorama that includes a farm (long shot). |
If
you think you live away from the life-threatening
dangers of the city, you're only partially
right. The hazards might be different in the country,
but they're just as devastating. Let's take
a closer look. |
Slide
#9: farm (as much as possible visible). |
What
place is this? Right, a farm. How many of you live
or have ever been on a farm? Raise your hands.
Wow. That's (almost) all of you. Well, today you'll learn
something you may have never known. There are danger
spots in this picture-perfect Vermont scene. Danger spots
that deserve a closer look. Here's why: |
Slide
#10: Bar graph with adjacent photo of accident victim. |
Nearly
5,000 kids are seriously injured every year on
farms and 300 are killed. And these are kids just
your age - 10, 11, 12. In fact, on farms, kids get killed
or seriously hurt more often than adults. |
Slide
#11: tractor (close up). |
Here
is where many accidents on the farm happen. Is this a
jungle gym? (Kids: No!) Well, what is it? (Kids:
tractor!) That's right. It's a working vehicle,
a complicated machine that helps your family, neighbors,
or friends do their job. |
Slide
#12: tractor (close up on single seat). |
Look
closely at this tractor. How many people do you think
are meant to be on it at one time? (Kids: One.)
That's right. One! |
Slide
#13: tractor with driver (in proper attire). |
Here's
something to remember: ONE SEAT: ONE RIDER. You
may be head-over-heels in love with being the extra
rider, but you'll be head-over-wheels in trouble
before you know it! |
Slide
#14: "One-rider" safety/warning label. |
ONE
SEAT: ONE RIDER. That's the way engineers designed
machines such as this one - an all-terrain vehicle or
ATV. An extra passenger has no safe place to sit
or stand. |
Slide
#15: grain bag falling off the back of an ATV being
driven by someone in improper attire. |
This
spells disaster when you hit a bump or climb a steep hill
- that grain sack could be you as the extra rider. |
Slide
#16: rider lawn mower showing one driver in proper
attire. |
You
can lose your hand, foot, or even an arm or leg in a lawn
mower accident. If you'd like to keep all of your limbs
- and maybe even your live - what should you remember?
(Kids: ONE SEAT: ONE RIDER!) Excellent:
ONE SEAT: ONE RIDER. It's a rule that could save
your life. |
Slide
#17: Hay/hay wagon. |
Here's
a trick question: How many seats can you count on this
wagon? (Kids: none.) That's right. NO SEAT:
NO RIDER. Falling off a hay wagon ... |
Slide
#18: pick-up truck with open gate. |
or
one of these ... |
Slide
#19: front-end loader. |
or
these can be a not-so-excellent adventure. Many
kids are crushed or run over by this equipment every year.
Some die and some live the rest of their lives with disabilities. |
Slide
#20: overturned farm equipment on incline. |
How
easily can tractors, ATV's and other heavy equipment
overturn? A lot easier than you think, especially
in our state - the hilly Green Mountain State. Sometimes
a little incline like this can tip a tractor or ATV over. |
Slide
#21: ground covered with branches and leaves. |
Sometimes
a big hole is hidden by branches and leaves and
can seriously injure even the most skilled driver.
Sometimes, though, a driver doesn't really know
what's safe and what's not. |
Slide
#22: young person on ATV with helmet, long
pants, eye protection, gloves and boots. |
If
you do drive an ATV, make sure you understand everything.
Don't be afraid to ask questions while you are being trained.
A helmet protects you from lethal head injuries
- this means head injuries that kill - and covering
the rest of your body is just common sense. |
Slide
#23: as above but without protective gear (and
with extra rider). |
Do
you give the kids in this picture a thumbs up or
thumbs down? (Illustrate.) Let's see those
thumbs. |
Slide
#24: another copy of above slide #22 featuring proper
attire. |
(Call
on students to cover the missing items and extra rider
issue.) |
Slide
#25: chuck wagon with man pointing out safety guard. |
Do
you know what could happen if guards and shields were
left off machinery? |
Slide
#26: children around an exposed PTO (not running,
of course). |
Moving
parts, like this power take-off shaft located at the rear
of a tractor (also called a PTO) ... |
Slide
#27: chains and belts exposed. |
...
or these chains and belts on this machine or other machines
you find in the fields and barns cause the most devastating
injuries - kids lose arms and legs and lives. |
Slide
#28: Michael Conoboy, farm accident victim who lost
both arms. |
On
April 25, 1992, six-year-old Michael Conoboy's life changed
forever in a few shattering seconds (pause). Michael
got too close to the PTO driving irrigation equipment
and the machinery took both his arms off. When asked during
his hospital stay what he would tell other kids, Michael
said, "Tell kids to stay away from machinery. It can rip
your arms and legs off -- maybe even your head!" Michael's
message comes from someone who learned the hard way that
kids and heavy machinery don't mix. And Michael was lucky
- he only lost his arms. |
Slide
#29: adult wearing protective gear (including ear)
operating chain saw. |
How
about this picture? Thumbs up or thumbs down? (Kids:
thumbs up.) Good! This worker knows how to play it
safe. Also, notice his ear protection. As you probably
know, chain saws, lawn mowers, wood splitters and other
machines are all very noisy. Doctors now know that
hearing loss starts at a young age. If you or your
parents are around noisy equipment, you should protect
your hearing and ask them to protect theirs. |
Slide
#30: close up of simple ear plugs. |
These
small plugs cost little, and you can still hear others
talk while you're wearing them because they block out
only the most damaging noise levels. Later, we'll
hand out some ear plugs for you to take home. |
Slide
#31: adult driving a farm vehicle. |
Because
your parents are often busy when they're working
outside, they might forget where you are. Believe it or
not - kids occasionally get run over by unsuspecting
parents who simply didn't see them. |
Slide
#32: Sketch of kids waving to parent on tractor. |
So
be sure to tell your parents where you are. |
Slide
#33: man with 2 young children. |
And
be especially concerned about your younger
brothers and sisters who, as you know, get easily
absorbed in play so that they don't see what's happening
around them. |
Slide
#34: older child (11 or 12 year-old) guiding 4 or
5 year-old away from equipment. |
If
you don't stay alert, someone could really get
hurt. |
Slide
#35: holsteins in field. |
Now
here's a familiar scene. Cows always look so calm
and gentle. But if you go inside their fence, you
may not see that bull just over the rise. |
Slide
#36: bull close up. |
A
bull or sow can quickly become hostile, so it's
best to stay outside fenced-in fields - even those that
appear to have no livestock. |
Slide
#37: calf. |
This
sweet, tiny calf looks like it would be nice to pet. But
the nearby mother cow doesn't agree. She could
seriously hurt you because, like all mother animals,
she has a strong instinct to protect her baby.
Remember: Farm animals are not pets. |
Slide
#38: electric fence. |
These
electric fences are meant to shock farm animals who try
to stray - not kids like you who want to play.
Being shocked is no fun, so don't be tempted to cross
fences that look like this ... |
Slide
#39: barbed wire. |
...
or this. In the country, there are lots of places to cut
yourself. Whether it's barbed wire like this or rusty
nails or soiled equipment, the object that cut, scraped
or bruised you is probably dirty. |
Slide
#40: Hand with band-aid or bandages in working setting. |
An
injury that isn't properly cleaned and covered,
even if it's small, creates a huge risk of infection.
Infected wounds take a long time to heal and could lead
to complications. |
Slide
#41: first-aid kit. |
After
this show, you'll be given a first aid guide and checklist
to take home and share with your parents. Everyone needs
a well-stocked first aid kit. |
Slide
#42: neat yard/farm yard with warning sticker in view. |
Most
minor injuries, like cuts and bruises happen because of
carelessness. A sloppy yard is a hazardous
yard. A neat yard should look like this. |
Slide
#43: close up of rakes, ladders and tools hung out
of reach. |
An
in this tidy storage area, the shovels, rakes and
other tools are properly maintained and put away ... |
Slide
#44: close up of label for chemical storage area. |
And
chemicals are labeled and locked away. |
Slide
#45: tractor tire leaning against tree. |
How
about this picture? Thumbs up or thumbs down? (Kids:
thumbs down.) Good. What would happen if you or a
small child climbed around on a big tire leaning against
a tree or a wall? Right. It could crush you. |
Slide
#46: ladder with missing rung. |
And
the other hazards - a missing rung on a ladder ... |
Slide
#47: broken beam. |
...
a broken beam or other improperly maintained structures
and tools - only increase the chances of an accident. |
Slide
#48: inside dairy barn. |
Like
in here. This milk room in a dairy barn, like all such
areas, contains an industrial-strength chemical that looks
like fresh, clean, cold water, or maybe even fruit punch. |
Slide
#49 and Slide 50:
dairy pipe cleaner/"hot stuff". |
If
swallowed, however, it's so corrosive that your
mouth starts to blister and bleed almost immediately.
When it gets to your stomach, you could die. One
boy, who was visiting his grandfather's farm, lived
after swallowing caustic dairy pipe cleaner. But only
after his fifteenth surgery, which reconstructed
his esophagus. |
Slide
#51: chemicals and pesticides in a cabinet or special
area with door open. |
Chemicals
and pesticides should have a private place - all to themselves. |
Slide
#52: close up of Mr. Yuk sticker. |
And
they should be clearly marked with stickers such as Mr.
YUK. If you see cleaners and other poisons like these
around your home, let your parents know. |
Slide
#53: chemicals and pesticides in same cabinet or special
area with door closed and locked. |
They
should be locked up! |
Slide
#54: farm worker in safety attire handling chemicals/pesticides. |
Adults
who work with concentrated chemicals or pesticides wear
attire like this. Unless you're dressed like this too,
stay away! Not only do chemicals burn, but simple
contact with your skin can cause poisoning,
and inhaling their fumes can lead to brain damage. |
Slide
#55: pastoral farm scene. |
I
bet you never thought these peaceful, rural scenes
could contain so many hazards. But then, injuries
and deaths are always unexpected. |
Slide
#56: farm pond. |
Plus
-- we didn't cover all of them, like the dangers
of farm ponds ... |
Slide
#57: silos. |
...
and silos ... |
Slide
#58: kids on bicycles (with proper gear). |
...
of riding skateboards and bicycles ... |
Slide
#59: boy climbing tree. |
...
and of climbing trees and hay lofts. |
Slide
#60: kids with adult pointing to danger area on equipment. |
So
the best tactic is to tour your farm or home and
garden with your parents and point out dangerous
areas together. Later, we'll be handing out a guide which
will help you do this. |
Slide
#61: kids playing softball. |
Remember:
more than half of all rural accidents happen to
kids - young people just like you. So live to play
another day - by playing it the safe way! |