NDSU Extension partners to deliver ag safety in North Dakota

NDSU Extension has partnered with the National Farm Medicine Center to bring the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health train‑the‑trainer program to North Dakota, offering community leaders tools to reduce risks on farms and ranches.

The first in‑person session in the state will be held Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in Bowman. The event is free, but registration is required by Oct. 4.

“In North Dakota, we have a fantastic network of Extension agents, rural firefighters, ambulance squads and county emergency managers,” said Angie Johnson, NDSU Extension farm and ranch safety specialist. “These professionals are community members and trusted sources of information that farmers, ranchers and their families listen to when it comes to addressing hazards regarding health and safety on their farm operation.”

RF‑DASH is designed to train trusted local partners — firefighters, EMS personnel, county emergency managers, Extension agents and other rural community members — in farm hazard identification, injury prevention and emergency preparedness specific to agricultural settings.

Kindred Fire Department Chief Rich Shock, an RF‑DASH participant, said the program emphasizes prevention. “Most agricultural‑related injuries and fatalities can be prevented, and RF‑DASH empowers firefighters like me and my department to work together with farmers and ranchers to help focus on farm hazard identification and risk mitigation so that we hopefully are never called out to their operation for an injury or death.”

The curriculum includes five modules with hands‑on components focused on prevention and preparedness:

• Introduction to Agricultural Emergencies

• Preplanning and Mapping Farms with Farm MAPPER

• Farm Hazard Analysis with Saferfarm.org

• Farm First Aid

• Approaching the Farm Community

“RF‑DASH is a community‑based injury prevention program that aims to leverage the bonds between rural fire departments, farmers and ranchers, and agricultural community members to reduce rates of agricultural injury and property loss in rural communities,” said Tim Zehnder, RF‑DASH lead trainer. “Thanks to support from the CHS Foundation, we are able to train new leaders in North Dakota and establish the state’s first cohort of trainers.”

Training is open to firefighters, county emergency managers, EMS personnel, law enforcement, safety professionals, Extension agents, technical college instructors, rural insurance agents, farmers, ranchers and other rural community members interested in preventing agricultural injuries and fatalities.

Visit the official website for details about the RF‑DASH program and resources.