Illinois farmers to get individualized maps to avert emergencies
A program designed to provide information to emergency responders is underway in east Central Illinois. Across the landscape attached to several main power poles, are black tubes which contain detailed computer generated maps of farms located in the region. The maps detail locations of flammable chemicals, fuels, power switches, grain bins and water supplies and livestock on each farm.
This provides invaluable information to first responders in the event of an emergency on a farm. The responders ability to locate the information contained in the tube could ultimately save lives and limit property damage.
Amy Rademaker, began the program in Illinois, is a farm safety specialist. Growing up on a farm, Rademaker knows the dangers of the farming industry. But she belives that tragedies can be avoided by being able to locate where things are "going to go up in flames."
Rademaker printouts online aerial images of each farm and meets with the farm's owner to identify structures, wells, power sources and potential hazards. She is using a GPS to produce the maps which get placed in the tubes. The GPS program that she uses was developed by Penn States.
Rademaker is operating the program on an annual budget of $10,000. Most of the funding comes from the Carle Foundation Hospital where Rademaker is an educator.
The project's first participants are Don and Lois Woods. They own a farm located just north of Champaign, Illinois. Their 40 acre fam includes grows corn and soybeans. They raise feeder cattle. The buildings on the bar consists of 6 barns, several stoarge sheds and crop bins, in addition to farm machinery and thef uel to run the farm.
Lois Woods says their tube went up over a year ago. "Thank the Lord, we have never had to use it."
