Webinar on farmworker housing safety

Enhancing safety in farmworker residences

Farmworker housing presents unique challenges for rural fire departments, particularly in fire code inspections and emergency responses. Many first responders lack familiarity with the specific mandates governing farmworker housing, creating potential gaps in safety and preparedness. 

To address these issues, a free webinar will be held on Dec. 6 from noon to 1 p.m. (Central Time). The session aims to educate firefighters, first responders, and health and safety professionals about incident prevention, emergency response, and housing standards relevant to farmworkers. The goal is to enhance risk mitigation and emergency planning within agricultural communities. 

The event is co-hosted by the Rural Firefighters Delivering Agricultural Safety and Health (RF-DASH) program from the National Farm Medicine Center, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, and the National Center for Farmworker Health. Registration is required to attend. For details and to register, visit the Farmworker Housing and Firefighters Webinar – RF-DASH website. 

Featured speakers include: 

• Casper Bendixsen, Director, National Farm Medicine Center

• Bethany Alcauter, Director, Research and Public Health Programs, National Center for Farmworker Health

• Aaron Andre, Fire Prevention Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services

• Kathryn Mueller, Chief, Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker Program, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

• Dennis Dederich, Chief, Vesper Volunteer Fire Department

• Jerry Minor, Chief, Pittsville Fire Company

The U.S. has an estimated 2.9 million agricultural workers, including seasonal and migrant farmworkers. A significant portion live in crowded or employer-provided housing, highlighting the importance of safety education and preparedness efforts.