RF DASH program brings hands on agricultural emergency training to Florida
A firefighter driven agricultural safety and health program will hold a special training session in Florida on February 26, marking its first visit to the state and its first event in the southeastern United States. The training is part of the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health program, commonly known as RF-DASH.
“The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is excited to host this training,” said Assistant Professor and RF-DASH training host Serap Gorucu, Ph.D. “This training will be particularly helpful for Extension professionals, firefighters, farmers, emergency responders and other agricultural community stakeholders.”
The program is designed to help firefighters, emergency responders, farmers, and agricultural professionals better understand safety risks on farms and ranches. The Florida training will be hosted by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and will take place in Wimauma. Classroom sessions will be held at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, followed by hands on learning at a local farm.
The training is free to attend, but registration is required by February 19. Participants will learn how to recognize and respond to common agricultural hazards, including machinery, confined spaces, and emergency rescue situations. The mix of classroom instruction and real farm experience helps participants apply safety concepts in practical settings.
RF DASH is a long running program that has now completed ten years of service. It has expanded to 18 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces. More than 300 first responders have been trained through the program, with nearly half of them trained in 2025 alone. Many participants later share their knowledge by training others in their own departments and nearby communities.
The Florida training will be led by experienced instructors with strong backgrounds in farm safety and emergency response. The program is organized into five learning modules and supports alignment with national firefighter safety standards related to community risk reduction and technical rescue training.
In addition to in-person training, RF-DASH also offers an online course for those who cannot attend events in person. Farmers and fire departments interested in hosting future training or bringing the program to their communities can contact the RF-DASH team for more information.
This training reflects continued efforts to improve safety, preparedness, and collaboration in rural and agricultural areas.
Photo Credit: RF-DASH_logo