What is Pennsylvania FFA
SAFE?
FFA SAFE is a student-led effort
in Pennsylvania to develop detailed Farm Emergency
Response Maps for use by local emergency
responders. The program allows FFA youth the unique
opportunity to learn important mapping and GPS skills while
also helping farm owners and operators to be proactive in
emergency planning to minimize financial loss and potential
environmental impacts.
How Does It Work?
FFA Students, under the
direction of FFA advisors in their local schools, will
produce farm emergency response maps that identify features
on a farm that are important for emergency response
personnel, such as firefighters. Producing the map will
require farmer approval and a visit by the student where
they will collect data to produce a Farm Emergency
Response Map. Students will return to their schools
and use computerized geospatial mapping technologies to
produce a final farm emergency response map.
How Can Farmers Help?
FFA members will ask farmers'
permission to map their farms and will need to gather
information to complete the mapping program. Farmers may
sign up to be contacted by an FFA member. By agreeing to
participate in the project, farmers will help FFA students
complete a valuable learning experience, protect the health
and safety of local emergency responders, and reduce
economic and financial losses.
Who Can Access Collected
Information?
All data collected as a part of
the FFA SAFE program will not be distributed to any other
organization without the permission from the farmer. The
farm emergency response map will be available to emergency
response personnel, on-site and at all times, in the event
of an emergency.
FFA SAFE is supported by the
PA State Grange.
Special Note: One CORE
Point
Farmers participating in the FFA
SAFE program will be awarded ONE CORE POINT toward their
Pesticide Certification!!