Rural Firefighters Learn Farm Safety at Workshop

Oct 27, 2025
By Farms.com

RF-DASH Hosts Farm Safety Training in Sulphur Springs

The Rural Firefighters Delivering Agriculture Safety and Health (RF-DASH) recently held a training session in Sulphur Springs, Texas.

The event was hosted by the Hopkins County Fire Department in partnership with Doug Simmerman, a recently trained RF-DASH instructor and agricultural safety educator.

RF-DASH Lead Trainer Tim Zehnder co-led the session, which was open to first responders, farmers, and other members of the agricultural community.

Recognized as one of the most hazardous professions in the United States, agriculture demands strong safety measures. Based on research from the National Farm Medicine Center, which found that rural emergency responders are highly trusted sources of safety information, RF-DASH-supported by the CHS Foundation works with rural fire departments to promote emergency preparedness and reduce hazards.

RF-DASH has provided direct training to over 170 first responders across 18 U.S. states and fiveCanadian provinces. Many of these participants go on to facilitate their own sessions, expanding the program’s impact. Altogether, RF-DASH is estimated to have reached more than 3,000 first responders. The program has directly trained 200 first responders, many of whom have since trained members of their own and nearby departments.

“RF-DASH brings the rural fire service and the farm and ranch community together to not only make it safer for the responding department, but to give the farm and ranch community the opportunity to make their places safer for their families and employees,” said Zehnder.

The training featured both classroom instruction and a practical, hands-on session at a local farm.

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