The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program has appointed Tim Zehnder as its new Lead Trainer, signaling a significant boost to farm safety education across North America.
Zehnder, a 30-year veteran of the fire service with extensive experience in grain safety and rescue, will spearhead 20 trainings across the United States and Canada, with a particular focus on the U.S. Grain Belt.
The RF-DASH program, which received funding to hire a full-time trainer, aims to enhance agricultural emergency preparedness and response in rural communities. Zehnder's appointment comes at a crucial time when grain-related accidents continue to pose significant risks to farmers and first responders alike.
"I feel that we as the fire service need to communicate and work with the farm and ranch community to not only make it safe for the responders but also for the folks that work in that environment every day," Zehnder said.
Zehnder's background includes roles as Director of Fire Science at Mid-Plains Community College in Nebraska and co-authoring a grain bin rescue video for Fire Engineering books and videos. His new position as Director of Education & Safety at ExEnvironmental, a safety and rescue company in Hudson, Wisconsin, will complement his role with RF-DASH.
The program's emphasis on the Grain Belt reflects the region's high concentration of grain storage and transportation facilities, where train-related grain accidents can pose unique challenges for emergency responders.
RF-DASH organizers hope Zehnder's leadership will strengthen relationships between fire services and agricultural communities, ultimately reducing the risk of farm-related emergencies and improving response capabilities.
