Red Cross Promotes Importance of First Aid on the Farm

Thursday, 30 July 2015 07:05

Jim Morton accepting Red Cross Award (left: Nico Peteers, right: Jim Morton

Two men who really understand the importance of first aid on the farm will be on hand at the Embro Tractor Pull to share their story.

EMBRO - The Canadian Red Cross will be promoting farm safety at the Embro Tractor Pulls this weekend.

Nico Peeters and the man who saved his life at his farm in Zurich, James Morton, will be on hand to share their story. In October of 2014 Morton had travelled from Woodstock to Peteers home to buy a tractor from Peeters and found him unconscious. Peeters was caught in the hatch of a high moisture corn silo and a build up of gas had caused him to pass out. Morton acted quickly and used his Canadian Red Cross First Aid training to save his life. First Aid Coordinator Kelly Farrell says the two men will share their story on Friday night at the Tractor Pulls and Peeters is actually going to participate in the event.

"Nico will be doing an honourary tractor pull with the tractor which was for sale and brought James Morton to his place in the first place, allowing for that opportunity for James to save his life. So Nico will be involved in the Embro Tractor Pull and we are really excited to be there as well cheering him on."

Farrell says Peeters will take part in the pulls at 7 p.m. and the Red Cross will be there all weekend long promoting farm safety and the importance of getting your Red Cross First Aid training on the farm. She tells Heart FM why it is so important for farmers to get first aid training."Farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in Canada. It's one of the only work environments where you see multi-generation help; the kids are there, the grand kids are there, and there are so many ages of workers on a farm together as a family that it leaves so much opportunity for injury. So we start at first to recognize an emergency, prevention of an emergency, and how to work together to put these safe practices in place."