Triton 3rd graders get safety tips from FFA

Third graders at Triton Elementary School headed to the Dodge County Fairgrounds recently for a day of learning about safety, courtesy of the Triton FFA Chapter.
The students were divided into two groups with one group visiting a grain elevator while the second group was at the fairgrounds. The groups switched places after lunch.
Scott McMartin of McMartin Electric was on hand to talk to the youngsters about electricity. As it is every year, his demonstration of cooking a hot dog by connecting electrical wires to each end was a popular demonstration. The students also got a chance to try some electrical experiments of their own.
Jen Teske from CHS, assisted by FFA members, gave a demonstration of proper use of household chemicals and showed them how difficult it is to tell unsafe chemicals from other safe household products.
Another group of CHS employees and FFA members were outside talking about safety around farm machinery including combines, tractors and power takeoffs.
Another group of FFA members talked to the youngsters about animals including allowing them to get close to a  Corgi, goats, sheep, calf and cattle.
The Farm Safety Day is a spring tradition at Triton, said FFA Advisor Robert Ickler.
This was the fourth year the FFA has been in charge of the annual event, Ickler said. Before the FFA chapter took over the organizing of the event the Farm Bureau had been the sponsor.
The farm safety program is important for Triton students, Ickler said, because even though not all of the students are from farm families it is likely that anyone living in Dodge County will come in contact with agricultural equipment and other areas where there is potential danger.
In addition to the events at the fairgrounds and the visit to the elevator, the day usually includes a visit to a dairy. That had to be cancelled this year, however, Ickler said, because of the wet ground.