Students in the field working with landowners to map individual farms.Landowners & Farmers - Get Involved
Benefits For the Landowner
There are many benefits that a landowner can receive from participating in the FFA SAFE program. The final product of this project is a Farm Emergence Response Map (pictured and described below).
A farm emergency response map provides added protection for a farmer in the event of an emergency, such as a fire. Livestock and other valuable assets will be better protected if local emergency responders know locations and types of hazards, such as agricultural chemicals. Not knowing the nature of farm hazards reduces the effectiveness of emergency response. Farm emergency response maps also protect other assets on the farm such as septic systems and water supplies from unnecessary damages caused by response personnel. Having a Farm Emergency Response Map available to local emergency responders avoids incidental damages to the farm and provides a more effective response; a farm emergency response map may result in lower insurance costs.
Above: a sample Farm Emergency Response Map. Click to view a larger sample.
What's a Farm Emergency Response Map?
A Farm Emergency Response Map contains information about hazards and important assets that emergency response personnel need to know in the event of an emergency, such as fuel storage locations, gas shutoffs, chemical storage sites, septic systems and more. The figure to the right is a sample farm emergency response map.
A Farm Emergency Response Map is PRIVATE!
Who can access this information? It's up to the landowner who has access to this information. It will not be distributed to ANYONE under any circumstances unless the landowner provides approval! Learn more.
How Does it Work - What to expect
Once you sign up for the FFA Safe program, you will be contacted to setup an appointment for students to come and visit your farm. Students and teachers will come visit your farm and draw a map. A typical visit takes about 30 minutes to an hour and will be scheduled at your convenience. A teacher will oversee all of the student's work, however they may or may not be present for the actual meeting on your farm (unless you request this). The landowner needs to be present to lead students around the farm.
When the students have completed the property inventory, they will return to their school and generate a digital map using GIS software. This map will be brought back to the landowner for approval. Once approved, it will be laminated and placed in a weather proof container, located and mounted at a point determined by farmer. The location of this point will be made available to local emergency response personnel and no one else.
A few key points to consider:
- There is no reason for students to access the interior of any building.
- Access to particular parts of a property is at the farmers discretion - all info is provided voluntarily. If there are parts of your property that you do not wish to have mapped, that is OK!
- The information will not be shared with anyone aside from the students and FFA SAFE coordinators unless you approve further distribution. Landowner privacy is IMPORTANT to you and the FFA SAFE program! This program respects that.